Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Frisk was riding the bus; just an ordinary bus on an ordinary Tuesday morning. Except… there wasn’t really anything ‘ordinary’ about today, and – only three weeks after monsters reaching the surface – there wasn’t anything particularly ordinary about anything for either the human or monster residents of Ebott City and its paired city of Sun Home.

…

Frisk was still surprised the monsters had let Asgore name their new city AGAIN. He was a good king, but his names were… not the most imaginative.

As they stared pensively out the bus window at another stop passing by – just four more to their destination, now – they decided that they could hardly be considered ‘ordinary,’ either. On top of the whole ‘standing against a being with the power of a god’ thing, as well as their new role as an assistant ambassador of the Kingdom of Monsters, they were also distinctly unordinary in one other way. Another human was bound to their Soul: Chara Dreemurr, the first adopted Dreemurr child, and generally prickly and sarcastic narrator to their actions and experiences.

Another stop closer, now, they described within Frisk’s head. The pink sky and golden clouds of a rising dawn remind you just how early it is. I still can’t believe this is important enough for you to visit before school even starts.

“(Of course it is!)” Frisk firmly whispered back. “(I made a promise, remember?)” Chara did not reply.

…

Having died about a hundred years earlier, Chara had been surprised by plenty of changes in the world when Frisk returned to the surface, though perhaps some areas lacking in change had puzzled them more. Frisk remembered how disappointed Chara had been when they had first taken a bus on the surface.

What, no flying cars yet? they had mentally inquired, sounding slightly let down.

“(People tried,)” Frisk had quietly informed them. “(They were too dangerous and used way too much fuel. We’ve been learning in school how the big shift over the last century was moving towards stuff that’s greener and more eco-friendly.)”

Chara’s disappointment had become grudging respect at that point. Humanity actually taking responsibility for its actions and their impact on the planet? A lot HAS changed in a hundred years, it seems…

Frisk had grinned at that. “(I told you humans aren’t all bad.)”

…

Still reminiscing, Frisk barely managed to spot another bus stop as it passed by. That means only three left, they thought to themself. Just three more to Alphys’ lab… I really hope she can help.

They hadn’t been to Alphys’ new laboratory yet – the past three weeks had been extremely busy, after all – so Frisk was eager to find out what it was like, especially considering how close she had come to losing her position. After learning about Alphys’ involvement with the amalgamates and her frantic obfuscations in the wake of that accident, Toriel had wanted to fire her upon taking up her role as queen; however, Asgore had stepped in on Alphys’ behalf. He had recognized Flowey as the subject of her experiments, realizing that in some way, she was responsible for bringing their son back. Furthermore, considering Asriel’s actions, Alphys was also (in a complicated fashion) partly responsible for breaking the barrier; a vessel to absorb both human and monster Souls was the plan, after all. Frisk and Conor had spoken out in support of her as well, having seen the True Lab for themselves and better understanding Alphys’ reasons for lying.

Toriel had relented at these arguments, though she did require that more oversight be kept; everyone had agreed that that was definitely a good idea. As such, Alphys now made biweekly reports on her work to the king and queen. More importantly, she had this new lab set up in the city, one that was – fortunately for Frisk – easily accessible by bus. Though her research nowadays focused more on robotics and devices to improve the lives of monsters, Frisk was hoping to rely on her expertise regarding Souls for this visit.

Though Chara could not read Frisk’s mind, they could pick up the gist of their thoughts and feelings. She may not be able to do anything, you know.

“(We’ve accomplished stuff that should have been way more impossible than this,)” Frisk quietly retorted. “(It’s worth a try, at least.)”

After a few more stops, the bus reached the one nearest Alphys’ lab. Frisk cheerfully hopped off and checked their phone again for the exact address. It was only one block away; perfect. Following a short walk, they found themself in front of a tall, unassuming building; nothing suggested this was the right place apart from the matching street number on the front.

Frisk checked Alphys’ last text on their phone again. Fifth floor, OK. No room number… so I guess it’s the whole floor? They headed inside the building and went straight to the elevator, which was about to close, until a cat-like monster inside kindly held the ‘door open’ button for them. Frisk dashed inside, gave the monster a quick smile of thanks, and pressed the button marked ‘5.’

Frisk couldn’t help but notice that the eyes of the monster remained on them throughout the ascent. Chara observed this too, dryly commenting, It appears that your fame has not yet diminished. Frisk… still felt a little uncomfortable with that. They quickly stepped out of the lift when it reached its destination, finding themself in a short hallway with a single door at the end. They walked up and pressed the small buzzer next to the door.

A voice rang out from the speaker positioned above it, “W-Who is it?”

“It’s me,” they answered, adding (just in case), “Frisk.”

“Oh! O-of course!” Alphys replied through the speaker. They heard a faint ‘bzzz,’ and Alphys continued, “It should be open now. Come in!”

Frisk turned the doorknob and strode into a surprisingly open and well-lit space. Despite Alphys’ penchant for staying indoors, she seemed to be taking full advantage of being on the surface; floor-to-ceiling windows were everywhere, bathing the sterile white of the lab in the golden light of this early morning. The space wasn’t particularly organized; various half-finished projects were scattered around on workbenches and floor space, and Alphys’ computer was nearly buried in papers and instant noodle cups.

As Frisk glanced around, they spotted Alphys emerge from a small side-room that seemed to contain a large number of cameras and sensors. “I w-was just setting up the scanner!” Alphys explained earnestly. “I’ll admit… I kind of kept most of the Soul research stuff in…” Her face fell. “In pretty deep storage.” However, her expression brightened as she looked back up at Frisk. “B-but if it’ll help you, Frisk, then I can do this! I’ll just need a few more minutes to finish calibrations.”

While Alphys walked back into the side-room, Frisk passed the time by poking around the various equipment in the lab. “So, what’re you working on now, Alphys?” they called through the doorway.

“Oh!” Alphys seemed a little surprised that Frisk was interested in her work. “J-just a control system for the new subway line to New Home. Enough monsters want to stay or work there that the project got the go-ahead just yesterday!” She gestured behind her towards what was currently a bundle of wires and cables. “This’ll be my contribution… Um, eventually.”

“Wait, that many are staying!?” Frisk boggled. “Don’t they all want to come out into the sun on the surface? The barrier’s broken and everything!”

Alphys glanced over her shoulder to give an apologetic smile. “Well, New Home is still t-technically the capital of the Kingdom of Monsters.” She returned to her work, continuing to talk. “I hear it has a great nightlife, too… maybe because there’s no sun.” After another minute of fiddling with the machine, she announced, “OK, it’s ready to go!”

Once Frisk stepped into the room, Alphys put her claws on their shoulders to gently guide them into the centre. “You just need to stand r-right here… Perfect!” She then moved over to her computer and began to type onto the keyboard. “And… done!”

“What?? That’s it?” Frisk wondered out loud. “I thought there’d at least be a flash or something.”

“W-well there was…” Alphys explained. “But maybe… maybe human eyes can’t see it?” She then muttered to herself, “(Huh… I wonder what other differences there are…)” Alphys continued to type and click away, until she suddenly stopped entirely. “Uh… that’s weird. There’s d-definitely something new compared to last time.”

“Wait, last time??” Frisk demanded incredulously.

Alphys turned around to face them, slightly hunched in on herself. “Oh, um, y-yeah. When you f-first came to my lab down in Hotland, I sort of… well, I sort of s-scanned your Soul.” She hurriedly raised her claws, seemingly worried that Frisk would lunge at her. “It w-was as you came in the door! I… I scanned Conor’s, too! I j-just wanted to compare your data with the other human Souls. Yours was… well… let’s just say it was pretty unique, even back then.”

Frisk managed to put aside their indignation – they probably would have been fine with it if she’d just asked! – knowing that what Alphys found could actually be really important. They calmed down enough to ask levelly, “Unique in what way?”

“Well…” Alphys continued, “you had a sort of… ‘echo’ or ‘whisper’ of a second Soul along with yours. I-it was really faint, and only barely out of sync with your own; that made it hard to detect, but my instruments managed it.” Frisk detected a faint note of pride in her voice.

That ‘echo’… Chara wondered in Frisk’s head. Could she be talking about… me?

“If I had something like that, even back then… what’s different now?” Frisk inquired.

Alphys peered closely at them. “You… you’re taking this pretty calmly… c-considering you have a second Soul joined to your own.” She adjusted her glasses. “Or maybe you knew… and that’s why you asked me to have a look at you?”

Frisk decided to apply some honesty here, nodding to affirm Alphys’ guess. “Yeah. They even talk to me sometimes.”

Alphys gasped, her eyes wide. “R-really?? That’s amazing! I-is it like when Washi got bonded to Kisho in season two of ‘Labyrinth of the Mind?’”

Frisk chuckled. “I don’t think I’ve seen that one. You’ll have to show me sometime and I can let you know.”

I have seen it, Chara commented. You can tell her it’s a lot less equal than that. Think like if Washi were stuck as mostly just a voice, or something like that.

Frisk conveyed this message to Alphys, who merely blinked in startlement. “Er… thanks… other Soul…?” She seemed to have no idea where to look to convey this message to Frisk’s ‘passenger,’ settling on a point in the middle of their forehead. Her head then jerked up. “Oh! But you were asking what’s different…” She hesitated briefly. “You know, it might be easier just to show you. Let me pull up the file…”

Alphys went back to typing and clicking away at her computer for a bit, before a familiar image of a bright red heart appeared on the screen. “I don’t need to tell you that this is your Soul,” she explained.

The very culmination of your being, Chara dryly added, echoing Frisk’s initial encounter with Flowey: the very first time they had seen their own Soul.

“Looks normal, right?” Alphys asked; Frisk nodded in reply. “Well, watch when it moves.” She clicked on a little ‘play’ icon at the bottom of the screen, and the image of Frisk’s Soul began to drift in random patterns, like some old-fashioned screensaver. As it shifted around on the display, a trail was clearly visible in its wake, resembling a sort of after-image.

Alphys turned to Frisk. “I think the echo’s still just out of phase with your own Soul; that’s why you can only spot it as it trails behind... But it’s like it got a lot… stronger? Y-your own Soul seems a little smaller, too, so maybe…” Alphys hesitated once more, before concluding, “Well, my theory is that some of your Soul… shifted to the echo somehow. I think they were joined even before that, so it was probably pretty easy; a bit like… like moving files within the same hard drive.”

Frisk could only imagine one possible event when this might have occurred: when they had willed Asriel’s Soul fragments to have endured. Every Dream used in that effort had included Chara in some fashion: Frisk’s to save everyone; Chara’s for a second chance for Asriel and themself; and Conor’s for a family, knowing Chara was a Dreemurr. They then recalled how Conor’s Dream of being a monster (consumed to help Asriel) still gave him a small fragment of a monster Soul, leading to his horns. If the Dreams really did try and accomplish what they were originally dreamed for, then… perhaps that common aspect of the three Dreams – helping Chara – had also tried to come true, in some way… After all, that had been the exact moment Frisk’s Soul had felt… different.

However, they couldn’t exactly expound on this whole theory to Alphys (not without a lot more questions about what exactly had happened down in the Ruins). It probably wasn’t important now, anyway; what DID matter was that it had happened at all, leading to this new situation – whatever it might mean, exactly.

“Is there anything you can do for the ‘echo?’” Frisk inquired earnestly; this was the real reason for their visit, after all.

Alphys simply blinked at them for a moment. “For the… the echo? I g-guess, if they spoke to you… it makes sense that you might want to help them.” She went back to face the screen. “Um, let me spend some more time analyzing this data. Maybe s… some options will come up.” She quickly turned around. “Oh! Th-there is one thing I could do sooner. I think… I could maybe build a device to tap into… into their Soul and let them speak out loud. W-would that help?”

It would be far simpler than having to borrow your body just to talk to Asriel or Conor, Chara stated. Though I would still prefer to stay silent near… near Mom and Dad. I’d rather not give them any false hope…

“(Heh, now you’re sounding like Asriel did down in the Ruins,)” Frisk commented. To Alphys, they said, “Yeah, it totally would. Thanks!”

“G-great!” Alphys replied. “I should have it ready by tomorrow, I think…”

“Tomorrow!??” Frisk exclaimed, once again impressed by Alphys’ speed.

However, the Royal Scientist took this response quite differently. “Yes; s-sorry it will take so long. It’ll have to be the afternoon, too, so… m-maybe come by after school? I need to start working on the subway control today, and I’m watching a ‘Final Angel’ marathon with Undyne tonight, so I’ll m-mostly have time to work on it in the morning.”

“Oh, that’s a good one!” Frisk declared excitedly.

Hm, is it? Chara wondered. I must have missed it.

“(Oh, I think you’d really like it. Maybe I should watch it again sometime…)” After this whispered response to Chara, they went back to their conversation with Alphys. “It’s got lots of swordfighting…” A sly grin then crossed their face. “And the main characters are just adorable together.”

“I know…” Alphys replied, though she quickly began to blush deeply. “Uh, I mean, th-that’s a very f-fortunate coincidence! Yeah…”

At this point, Alphys rushed Frisk out of her lab, insisting that they not be late for school (and that she had all the measurements she needed for now). Frisk placidly let themself be ushered out, feeling a little more hopeful as the door closed behind them.

“(Looks like we can get you a voice, at least… and hopefully more than that, eventually.)”

I wouldn’t get my hopes up too much, but I’ll admit… it is a promising start.

…

After another short bus ride, Frisk made it back to school with plenty of time to spare. Most of the day passed by in a blur to them, though magic class managed to keep their attention, likely due to the level of concentration required. After all, while humans could use magic, it still came to them extremely slowly, and they had to start at the lowest level. It was rather embarrassing being in a class with monsters that were barely out of diapers (or the monster equivalent); Frisk was pretty sure the other humans all felt the same, which might be part of the reason so many dropped out of the class. There was a level of humiliation in struggling to accomplish what the youngest monster could achieve with ease, after all.

It was mostly Frisk’s own stubborn determination (along with subtle guidance from Chara) that kept them trying. They could swear they were getting close; they’d almost catch a flicker of something in their hands, but it never seemed to fully ignite into that spark of magic. That’s what was happening now: they felt a tingle on their palm, but it never wanted to get any further.

Here, allow me to help, Chara offered, pushing themself closer to the front of Frisk’s consciousness. Though it was not enough to take control of Frisk’s body, Chara was definitely a lot more present, and it gave Frisk the distinct impression of someone peering directly over their shoulder. Now, Chara continued, think of your Soul as the sun, radiating light; that’s your magic. Then imagine that same light shining out from your hands, and focus…

Frisk concentrated on their own hands, though the fingers seemed to briefly twitch of their own accord. Was that the magic…? Or was Chara too-

A blood-red flame sprang up in Frisk’s palm, dancing merrily in mid-air. Their eyes opened wide with shock, but they could sense that Chara’s surprise was even greater. They felt Chara retreat to the back of their mind as the fire sputtered out, and they were left staring at their empty hands, breathing heavily.

“(Was that… you?)” they whispered hesitantly.

I’m sorry; I must have pushed too far. That is… that is how my magic looked when I was alive, yes.

Frisk’s magic teacher, Ms. Eyewalker, rushed over to Frisk, her one eye wide and her mouth forming into a proud smile. “Frisk, that’s excellent progress! To summon such a powerful flame on your first successful attempt!” She looked around at the few human students still remaining in the class. “You see? Humans can definitely do magic, too; it merely takes time and effort. With dedication, you can show off your inner self with just as much vibrancy!” She turned back to Frisk, still smiling, and said a quick, “Well done, Frisk,” before walking over to assist another human student.

Frisk felt themself hunch inwards at their teacher’s praise, knowing they did not truly deserve it. At least class was just about over, so they wouldn’t be expected to repeat that performance today – though tomorrow was another story.

I truly am sorry, Frisk, Chara apologized. I wasn’t trying to make things more difficult for you.

Frisk shrugged. “(It’s not that much more pressure, really. People were already expecting a lot, with the whole ‘saviour of monsters’ thing…)”

That does not make it any better. I, of all people, should know the dangers of overwhelming someone with high expectations… I will keep my distance tomorrow; I could feel that you were close, even before my assistance.

Fortunately, this was the final class of the day, so Frisk didn’t have to worry about any more expectations or pressure for the moment. They could just relax with Asriel and Conor at their home and have fun; Toriel had even offered to drive them back once she had finished up at the school.

…

During the short car ride, Frisk considered how lucky they were to have Toriel’s house so close to their own; they were even on the same street, allowing the trio of friends plenty of opportunities to spend time together. It was still a little surprising how so many of the monsters had homes on the surface already, but it seemed like the recent construction boom had greatly helped, leading to a number of new houses that would have been going up for sale. While reparations towards monsterkind were still under discussion, an obvious initial step was to offer the recently-surfaced monsters first pick of these newly-built homes. Funding these purchases was also easier than expected; still using gold as a currency had left monsterkind in a strong financial position, and the massive source of renewable energy from the Core was an incredible boon, almost paying for the monsters’ surface developments by itself through the power it provided to the surrounding area.

Land rights and sovereignty for the Kingdom of Monsters itself were also important topics of debate and negotiation, albeit rather intimidating ones; Frisk was glad they did not have to be heavily involved at that level of politics and diplomacy. While they put a lot of work into their role as ambassadorial assistant, it was a relief to know they were not the one responsible for those sorts of decisions. Still, they did what they could to help bridge the gap between humans and monsters; though, looking over at Conor in the seat next to them, he seemed to be bridging that gap a bit more literally, with his horns and fragment of monster Soul.

Wouldn’t that make him a better fit for the whole ambassador stuff than me? they wondered. Or at least, us doing it together. Asriel’s still a bit too… grouchy for this sort of thing.

These thoughts, while somber, soon passed when Toriel pulled into her driveway, replaced by anticipation of the afternoon and evening. They could do a bit of homework together, then play the rest of the day; no official duties or required events to be anxious over.

However, Frisk soon got another reminder of said duties while they, Asriel, and Conor were studying in the kitchen for a history test the next day.

Between reading out some sample questions, Conor piped up with a request. “Hey Az… maybe you could help Frisk with their math homework sometime?”

Frisk was insulted by the suggestion. “What?? What makes you think I even need help?”

Conor replied, “Because both of you are going to talk to all those important people with Asgore and Papyrus next week.” He poked Frisk in the chest. “And you’re just as bad at math as I am, but I’ll have more time to work on it.

I’d almost forgotten about that… Frisk thought, a little bit of stress returning. I’ll definitely need the time to practice what I’m going to say; I don’t want to let anyone down.

Asriel rolled his eyes. “Golly, it’s true that Frisk needs all the help they can get…”

“Hey!” Frisk objected, glaring at Asriel.

Asriel smiled faintly at successfully getting a reaction, then continued, “But you can’t just volunteer me like that, either.”

“What’s wrong?” Conor asked. “You’ve ‘read every book’ already, right? So, it should be super-easy for you. Besides, it’ll help a lot!” He paired this plea to his brother with an imploring look.

Asriel visibly struggled, but eventually could not resist this hopeful onslaught. “Alright, alright. Fine… just stop looking at me like a lost puppy.” He then waved a paw dismissively. “Anyway, I’m still not sure why I even have to go to that whole party thing.”

Frisk had a pretty good idea of the reason. “I mean, you are the prince, so this sort of official stuff is probably part of your ‘royal duties.’”

Asriel scowled at the reminder. “Yeah, because I’ve been such a great prince so far… Besides, with the adoption coming up, Conor’s practically a prince, too, and he’s a human friend of monsters.” A mischievous grin slowly crept up his face as he turned to Conor. “You know, that’s a good point. Why don’t you take Frisk’s and my place? Then we’ll play some Super Smashing Fighters instead! What do you think, Frisk?”

“I’d be totally up for that,” Frisk replied with a broad smile.

Conor rolled his eyes and answered with mock pomposity, “I’m not going to dignify the second half of that with a response.”

“What about the ‘prince’ part?” Frisk interjected. “And why can’t it be official now, anyway? Your mom is literally the queen of monsters; can’t she just kind of make a declaration or announcement or something?”

Conor sighed. “That’d work for the Kingdom of Monsters, sure, but what about the human side? That’s still where I came from, and apparently there’s a lot of paperwork for a monster adopting a human…”

Asriel interjected, “Yeah, if Mom just goes and declares Conor her son like that, it’s practically kidnapping.” He gave a teasing wink. “C’mon, Frisk, try to keep up!”

Frisk rolled their own eyes, now. He hasn’t lost those mocking tones from his time as a flower, I see, Chara commented in their head. I’d almost be proud, if they weren’t aimed at you.

Frisk supressed an internal smile, then asked Conor, “Still, it can’t be that far away. There’s nothing actually stopping you from coming to these events now, is there?” If nothing else, they mentally added, it would be really great to have another friend there.

Conor gave Frisk a guilty look. “Probably not, no… but I begged Mom to delay it as long as she could. I just… there’s something I really want to do before that kind of big reveal. It’d make everything a lot easier…”

However, he did not elaborate, instead turning back to Asriel. “Anyway, about the whole ‘friend of monsters’ thing, I’m pretty sure the fact I live with Mom and want to be a monster makes all of that… er… complicated. People might think you all brainwashed me, or I’m suffering from Stockholm Syndrome or something.”

“Huh? What’s that?” Frisk inquired.

Conor seemed slightly unprepared to give an answer. “Oh! It’s, like… like when you’re captured or abused, and you form a bond or connection with the people doing that.” Conor paused, looking at Frisk and then at Asriel. “… What? What are you both staring at me like that for? I read up on some psych stuff online, OK?”

Asriel turned in his seat to face Conor. “So that’s what you’ve been looking up? Why??”

Conor blushed faintly. “Well… I was thinking about what I might want to do when I grow up, and… I mean, a therapist could be kind of cool.”

Asriel sat back, mildly surprised. “What, so you want to listen to people talk about their problems all day?” Conor merely gave him a flat look in response. “Oh yeah,” Asriel realized, “you kind of do that already, don’t you?”

Conor nodded. “And I like doing it, too. That’s what made me think it might be a good idea. I mean, what I really like is getting to understand people… and maybe even helping them to understand themselves. It’s got to be one of the best feelings in the world!”

Frisk looked over at Asriel, who was staring at Conor intently with those golden eyes. What was he thinking right now? Was he worried he was just another ‘project?’ Was he proud of his brother? Or was he annoyed that he might have to share Conor with random strangers?

Either way, Frisk decided to ask the main question. “So, is that what you’re doing with Azzy?”

Conor tilted his head, truly considering the question. “… Sort of? Well, I’m trying to help, at least. I mean, all I can really do is just talk about stuff with him and offer a listening ear.”

Asriel rolled his eyes, but with a smile. “Yeah, he made me talk for hours a couple nights ago. We finally stopped when I suggested we find out if my friendliness pellets still work.” He gazed off into space, lost in fond reminiscence.

Conor winced. “Yeah, that… seemed like a good place to end it for the night.”

Asriel turned to his brother, his own look shifting into one of concern. “I was joking then, you know.”

Conor gave a weak smile and brought a hand to his own chest. “Maybe, but I felt how annoyed you were behind it. I figured it was best not to push things.”

“‘Felt?’” Frisk wondered. “Are you talking about the whole ‘Soul-shard-sharing’ thing? How does that work, anyway?” A silly idea popped into their head. “Does it mean you’re going to start finishing each other’s sentences now?”

“No…” Conor replied.

“-but maybe we’ll start,” Asriel finished, a gleam of mischief in his eyes.

Conor glared at him, then said, “I’d really rather you-”

“-didn’t?” Asriel’s face was the picture of innocence.

Conor turned to Frisk with a sigh. “Thanks a lot, Frisk. Now he’ll be doing this all-”

“-week, at least!”

Conor rolled his eyes. “Anyway, maybe I should answer the question a bit more-”

“-seriously?”

Conor, stony-faced, did not react at all this time. “It’s mostly just that we feel each other’s emotions a little bit, which gets weaker with distance.”

Asriel nodded. “Yeah. There’s a few other small things here and there, but nothing major. It’s not like we can hear each other’s thoughts or anything.”

Well, we certainly have some idea of what that is like, Chara noted wryly.

Conor blinked rapidly, staring at his brother. “Huh. That wasn’t finishing my sentence.”

Asriel shrugged. “You stopped reacting, so it got boring.”

Conor gave Frisk a look of long-suffering patience. “See what I have to put up with, Frisk?”

“It’s your own fault!” Asriel teased back. “You got to choose your family, and you still ended up with us!”

Conor gave a clearly genuine smile. “You all chose me, too, you know. And as long as you don’t regret it, neither do I.”

This time, it was Asriel’s turn to look at Frisk. “And now you see what sort of sappy stuff I have to put up with.” However, his tone was light, and he bore his own broad grin.

“Speaking of sappy stuff…” Conor began, seemingly unperturbed, “you need to see what we just got in our room!”

He grabbed Frisk’s hand and rushed them upstairs to the bedroom he shared with Asriel. Frisk had been up here before, so they had their eyes peeled to look for any differences. Most things were unchanged: a small desk with a lamp still sat just to the left of the door, while bookshelves, a large closet, and a tall mirror all took up the back of the room. Frisk expected two twin beds – each reflecting the other against the two side walls – but this was no longer the case; while the left was the same, the right wall was obscured by a new bunk bed.

Following Frisk’s gaze, Conor gave a shy smile. “We thought that, since we live so close together, it’d be great to have sleepovers and stuff… But then you’d need somewhere to sleep. So, we asked Mom, and she agreed!”

Asriel nodded. “Yeah. Sans and Papyrus came over to help set it up. Well… mostly Papyrus, unless you count Sans ‘supervising.’” He shrugged, then added, “We know you’ve got your own home, but there’s always room for best friends here.”

Conor smiled brightly as he enthusiastically agreed. “Exactly!”

Frisk could feel a little wetness gathering in their eyes. “That’d be awesome!”

Conor beamed at this response, then suggested, “Maybe we could even try it tonight! I can go and check if Mom would let us!” However, he paused before leaving the room, as if waiting for confirmation from Frisk.

Frisk smiled, pulling out their phone. “I can call my mom and dad and ask if they’d be OK with it, too.”

Conor’s grin widened and he rushed out the door and down the stairs, calling out, “Mo-om!”

Fortunately, Toriel and Frisk’s parents all approved of the sleepover idea, though Frisk still headed back to their own home for dinner.

“If we have a little more advance warning next time,” their mother lightly noted over supper, “you can eat there, too. However, for tonight, it would be terrible for this food to go to waste, and I doubt Toriel had planned on feeding an extra person, either.”

Frisk didn’t particularly mind, especially once they went back to Toriel’s house and eventually found out from Conor that they’d had snail pie that evening.

“You really dodged a bullet, Frisk,” Conor told them, bearing a pained expression that had nothing to do with his current losing position in Super Smashing Fighters.

“I heard that, Conor!” Toriel called out from her study. “I know it is not your favourite, but it is extremely good for you!”

Biting his tongue in deep focus and staring at the TV, Asriel stated, “I still can’t believe you don’t like it.” He then threw his paws up in the air in frustration. “Eugh! That was my last life!”

Conor stuck his tongue out at his brother, then replied, “And I can’t believe you don’t like losing!”

Asriel rolled his eyes, then grabbed Frisk’s shoulder. “C’mon Frisk, it’s up to you to avenge me. He’s taken a ton of damage; it’ll be easy!”

Frisk pulled away. “Don’t distract me and maybe I will!” Their comment was not from overconfidence; the match did not last much longer, with Frisk the final victor.

The rest of the evening passed in ease and relaxation, until it was finally time for bed. “Which one’s mine?” Frisk asked, standing in front of the bunk bed.

“The top, if you’re OK with that,” Conor replied. At Frisk’s incredulous look (surely that was the prime position!), he explained, “The bottom’s cozier… and it means I can do this!” He pulled a dark blue curtain across that blocked off the lower bunk. “See? It’s like it’s my own mini room! And look at the inside!” He then pulled the curtain back to show Frisk the other side, which was studded with sequins to make a glittering facsimile of a night sky.

Frisk raised an eyebrow. “That’s actually kind of cool.”

“Thanks! Mom helped me make it.” Conor tugged on one of the floppy ears on his white hood. “I’m getting better at sewing, but not enough to do it alone just yet.”

While the three kids soon settled into their respective beds, sleep came a lot less quickly. They ended up talking and fighting off each other with thrown pillows until Toriel was forced to come in and put her paw down.

“It is a school night,” she told them firmly. “I know you are excited, but you do need your rest.” Her serious frown softened into a fond smile. “You will have plenty more opportunities to do this again, so do not feel that you must experience every sleepover stereotype in a single night.”

Though chastened by Toriel’s words, Frisk still smiled as they pulled up their covers. They couldn’t help it; this was the sort of thing they could have only dreamed of a mere month ago.

“(You hear that, Chara?)” they whispered as softly as they could. “(No wild parties in my head tonight, OK?)”

They heard Chara sigh. If I ever have the inclination to ‘party,’ I will ensure that it works within your schedule. Anyway, considering how I am tied to your consciousness, it would be more accurate to say that you are keeping me awake.

“(Heh; fine, I can try and fix that. Night, Chara.)”

Good night, Frisk…

With these words spoken, Frisk finally drifted off to sleep.

Chapter Text

When Frisk eventually fell asleep within the top bunk in Asriel’s and Conor’s room, they did not expect to be woken up a few hours later by a sudden, strange noise.

It’s still the middle of the night, Chara observed, so what was that?

It didn’t take long before they heard the sound again: whimpers of pain from just below them. They checked the bottom bunk, their dark-adjusted vision allowing them to make out Conor tossing and turning in some sort of nightmare. Still half-asleep, Frisk blearily wondered what they should do. Gradually becoming more alert, they realized that a second sound had now begun: faint sobbing noises were coming from Asriel’s bed.

“(Is he having a bad dream, too?)” Frisk whispered to Chara. “(What’s going on?)”

Chara did not have an answer. However, Frisk did not have to wonder for much longer, as the dreams soon appeared to take an even worse turn, with both Asriel and Conor twisting in silent agony. With a final gasp, they both woke up at the same moment, each breathing heavily and sitting bolt upright in bed.

Did they share that nightmare? Chara wondered in Frisk’s head.

Fully awake now, Frisk jumped down from the top bunk and rushed to turn the light on. “Are you both okay?” they asked, their voice filled with concern.

Conor stared at Frisk with wild eyes for several moments before coming to himself and responding, “Huh? Oh… Sorry. It’s just a bad dream. We get that one a lot… I should have warned you.” Asriel, still breathing heavily, gave Conor a worried glance. Conor tried to offer a reassuring smile to both of them. “It’s OK… It doesn’t usually happen more than once a night.”

Frisk felt like the only sane person in the room. “That’s supposed to make me feel better??” they demanded. “That’s still WAY too often, you know!!”

Don’t you still have nightmares sometimes? Chara reminded Frisk. From dying, on top of everything else…

Frisk suppressed a shudder; they could have done without the reminder. Still, Chara was right; they were still recovering from what they’d been through… so maybe the same was true for their friends.

“What- … What’s it about?” Frisk inquired, their nerves adding an unintended edge to the question. They tried to soften the tone by adding, “I mean, if you’re okay to talk about it.”

Asriel waved a paw to dismiss their concern. “We’ve seen it enough that it’s pretty easy to discuss.”

That… doesn’t really help me feel better about it, Frisk thought to themself.

Conor nodded, revealing, “You’ve probably guessed it’s shared… But we don’t have it from the same perspective.” He stared at Frisk, but gave the distinct impression of looking through them to that second Soul within. “I think… I was sort of in your place, Chara.”

What?? Chara sounded downright frightened. He’d better be wrong, for his sake…

With Asriel staring mournfully at him, Conor continued to explain, giving a brief summary. “In the dream, I… I die, slowly and painfully. After that, Asriel takes my Soul, and then we die together, quickly and painfully…” He gently called out his own Soul – with its sheared corner and gold-speckled white fragment – and examined it pensively. “I hope that isn’t some metaphor for how we are right now…”

“It’s not,” Asriel replied fiercely. “It’s me. It’s ALL from me. That night, Chara… It still…”

Frisk could almost feel Chara wince in their head. The ‘buttercup plan’ of the original two siblings had led to disastrous consequences, changing them forever and leaving scars that might never heal.

Still sitting forlornly on the edge of his bed, Asriel turned to Conor, guilt plain on his face, “And because you wanted to help, you got hurt, and you get hurt every night.”

That’s the sort of thing you’d be letting yourself in for, if we stay together like this, Chara warned.

Hearing Asriel, Conor immediately ran over to tackle him into a hug, then began to gently whisper something over and over. Moving slightly closer, Frisk heard Conor saying, “(It’s worth it. It’s worth it. It’s SO worth it.)” Upon hearing this, Frisk immediately stepped back, feeling like they were intruding.

“(Maybe it’s a bit like that for us too… you know?)” they suggested.

Chara was quick to respond, giving the distinct impression of a mental eyeroll. Or maybe you’ve gotten far too used to having a voice inside your head.

“(Well, I guess we’ll have to see what Alphys says after school…)”

Indeed.

…

After a little longer spent recovering, the three friends were finally calm enough to try and get back to sleep. When Frisk woke up the next morning, Asriel and Conor were all smiles, as though nothing had happened.

I guess if it happens every night, you get used to it… Frisk supposed. Or they’re good at putting on an act. I mean, Asriel’s a master at pretending, and Conor’s great at ignoring his own issues. They sighed. They knew they couldn’t solve every problem by themself, but it still hurt…

However, if this cheerfulness was only an act, it was an incredibly convincing one. Sitting together at the kitchen table for breakfast, Asriel leaned over and poked Conor, speaking in a low voice, “(Watch Mom remind us about that history test before we’re even done eating.)”

Conor smiled into his cereal. “(I think she’ll trust us; she saw us studying yesterday.)”

“(Wanna bet?)” Asriel replied with a smirk.

Conor’s eyes narrowed for a moment, but then he seemed to change his mind. “(Loser does the winner’s chores this weekend?)”

Asriel’s confident grin only widened. “(Deal.)”

Frisk merely rolled their eyes. They were rather enjoying just being an observer in this situation. The rest of the breakfast passed in anticipatory silence, but Toriel never even stepped into the kitchen, clearly busy finishing her lesson preparations.

After Conor finished washing up his bowl and drying his hands, he nudged a dejected Asriel. “She’d have probably done what you said… two years ago. But these are real people who can change, and this is a new world; you have to throw out the old rules.” He then magnanimously offered, “And don’t worry; you don’t have to do my chores. I just wanted to show you that.”

“Ugggghhh, really?” Asriel groaned. “That was all supposed to be some sort of ‘lesson’ for me? You can be preachier than Mom sometimes!”

“Yeah? Well you can be twice as overbearing!” Conor retorted. Asriel narrowed his eyes before lunging for Conor’s horns; Conor retaliated by grabbing one of Asriel’s ears. The two began to engage in a battle of tugs and grabs.

“Hey- ow!” Asriel objected.

“Serves you right!” Conor answered.

“What happened to all that – ouch! – forgiveness talk?”

“Siblings are exempt. I – stop it! – don’t make the rules!”

Frisk stood by and simply watched, a faint smile on their face. They didn’t know if they had ever seen either Conor or Asriel quite so… carefree.

“(Maybe the two of them are good for each other,)” they whispered to the empty air.

Better than I was for him, at least, Chara bitterly added in Frisk’s mind.

Frisk gave an exasperated sigh, then argued softly, “(Do you really still feel that way? I saw how you were in Asriel’s memories, you know; you had a lot of good times together. Sure, you made a big mistake at the end, but that doesn’t mean it was all bad. He obviously still cares about you, and you clearly still care about him, as well as your parents. They’ll all be glad to have you back, once Alphys can sort this out.)”

Chara did not reply; Frisk hoped it meant they were considering what had just been said.

In either case, the struggle was quickly ended by Toriel sternly walking into the kitchen, paws on her hips. “You two certainly have a peculiar way of preparing for school,” she dryly commented, one eyebrow arched. “Anyone would think you had Undyne as your teacher!”

The sentence brought back a sudden flash of memory to Frisk, of the first time they had left the Underground… when Asgore had died. Undyne had mentioned during the monsters’ call back then that she was taking a job as a gym teacher. However, in this new timeline, she had remained the head of the Royal Guard, which was transitioning its responsibilities to be less about capturing humans and more about protecting citizens of the Kingdom of Monsters. The faint dissonance between these two outcomes gave Frisk a flash of pain in their temple, though it quickly subsided.

This ending is way better for everyone, they thought to themself. I’m glad we could change it…

…

Looking forward to seeing Alphys again, school passed by much more slowly for Frisk than it had the previous day – though they still had trouble paying attention, their mind on possible solutions for Chara’s situation. This was still true as they started on the dreaded history test, and Frisk panicked as all the answers seemed to fly right out of their head; fortunately, Chara had been paying attention during the previous day’s study session, and was willing to help.

Don’t get used to that, they warned Frisk after the test was over. I just… could tell you were distracted on my account, so it only seemed fair to repay your concern.

Frisk gave an inward smile at this. “(Thanks, Chara.)”

Like yesterday, the only other exception to their poor concentration was magic class, where they tried their best to focus on igniting their magic. They had insisted to Ms. Eyewalker that they would not be able to duplicate yesterday’s feat, but she seemed confident that they were just being modest.

“Try recalling what you were thinking about at the time,” she suggested. “Was it a specific thought, or a general state of mind?”

“I don’t know!” Frisk objected. “I was pretty angry it wasn’t working, but I don’t think it was that.”

She softened her voice. “Well, anger is certainly a passionate emotion, though perhaps not the best to base your magic upon. Let’s try a few more exercises and see if we can’t coax it out, shall we?”

With their teacher’s help, Frisk actually managed to conjure a small flame, flickering in the air just above their palm. However, this time it was simply a regular tongue of fire, looking almost like Frisk had just lit a match in their hand.

Ms. Eyewalker looked oddly both pleased and disappointed at the same time. “Well done on conjuring a flame! However… this is quite different from your previous manifestation.”

After what had felt like hours of concentrating to even get this far, Frisk snapped, “I already told you that was a one-time thing, that I wouldn’t be able to do it again! Besides, a fire’s a fire, right? Why does it matter what colour it is?”

“It matters because it is a reflection of both aptitude and identity,” their magic teacher responded with infuriating patience. “Many monsters can perform a small amount of fire magic – perhaps enough to light a spark – but it only takes on a distinct colour with those for whom fire resonates particularly strongly, or is a part of how they seem themselves. With your earlier spell, I thought that might be the case for you.” She seemed to ponder this for a few seconds, muttering, “Perhaps human magic is different, or you haven’t settled on a particular form yet…”

Frisk knew the real reason, but would never tell their teacher that it was due to the other human joined to their Soul. “Does that mean I can try something else now?” they asked.

This brought Ms. Eyewalker out of her distraction. “Hm? Oh, yes. Perhaps trying to force you towards fire magic after yesterday was the problem… It might be wise if we attempt a little free-form magic, just to see where your natural inclinations lie.” She nodded at Frisk’s hands. “Now that you have already manifested a successful conjuration, this should be much easier. Just close your eyes and imagine reaching out with your Soul.”

Frisk took a deep breath and closed their eyes. They held their hands out on the desk, palms facing up.

“That’s it,” their teacher assured them. “Don’t think of magic as energy or a force; it is simply an extension of you. Now, without moving your actual hands, try to push out in front of you.”

Frisk focused on that idea of moving themself without moving their body (though the concept still kind of made their head hurt). They could feel the magic gathering in their fingertips, maybe even starting to flow out. However, their concentration was disrupted by a rustling noise; opening their eyes, they spotted some papers shifting on the table in a slight breeze. They glared at the nearby open window for its distraction; it had really felt like they’d had it that time!

Noticing Frisk’s frustration, Ms. Eyewalker reassured them, “Even ignoring yesterday’s success, your fire earlier shows that you have overcome the first barrier blocking your magic.” She gave a patient smile. “You can do this, Frisk. Do not force anything; just let it come naturally.”

She’s right, Chara added. I didn’t help at all with today’s flame; that one was all you.

So Chara hadn’t intervened at all? If that fire really had been on their own… that meant they’d already done a little magic, right? So, shouldn’t this be easy now?

More determined to succeed than ever, Frisk closed their eyes and tried again. Just like before, they felt the tingle of the magic extend from their chest to their hands, and then out past their own body, until-

Another rustling of papers caused them to open their eyes. Really? Again? They were about to get up to close that window, but Ms. Eyewalker seemed to recognize their annoyance. “That was a good try. I think you’re really close, Frisk; I’m sure we will find your magic soon.”

She was being surprisingly generous, but Frisk still felt like they were letting everyone down. I know I can do this, they thought to themself. I was so close… So, why can’t I get there??

They wanted to keep trying, but before they could start another attempt, the bell rang to mark the end of the lesson. Magic was the last class again today, so that meant school was over for the day as well. At the sound of the bell, all their earlier thoughts about Chara slammed back into their head.

That’s right! Alphys said to come by after school!

They rushed out of class, texting Asriel and Conor as they ran to let them both know they would be coming over a little later this afternoon (only mentioning that they wanted to visit Alphys). They’d already checked with their parents that morning, so now it was just time to take another bus trip.

…

Alphys’ laboratory was just as messy as it had been yesterday, though more cables were connected to her computer, and lines of code covered the screen. The monster scientist herself seemed quite cheerful, presenting a small pale brown-grey device that looked remarkably like a hearing-aid.

“H-here it is!” she declared proudly, holding the object out to Frisk. “Just slip this into your ear, and it can sort of… you know… project their voice. I like to call it a- a ‘speaking-aid.’” She gave a mild start, seeming to suddenly realize something. “Oh! B-but don’t worry! It only goes outwards, so it won’t be super-loud in your ear!”

Frisk took the small device, which almost perfectly blended into their palm – Alphys had done a good job matching their skin tone – and fitted it into and along their ear.

“I-it should already be active-” Alphys began to inform Frisk, before being interrupted by another voice.

“You glance around, unsure if anything is supposed to feel dif… fer… ent… …” Chara’s voice trailed off as Alphys’ face contorted more and more into an expression of pure horror. “… You can hear me, can’t you?”

“You… you…” was all Alphys managed to utter. She rapidly retreated from Frisk, continuing to stammer. “Y-you’re…”

“She hurriedly pulls away from you, pressing her back up against the wall and breathing heavily. Ergh! This thing is still broadcasting!” Chara went completely silent, likely realizing it would be best to simply stop all narration for now.

Their observations did seem accurate, however. Alphys looked truly terrified as she shakily stated, “You’re the one f-from the tapes! You’re… you’re Chara!”

Chara did speak again, then. “I guess we can’t really hide it any longer. Yes, the Soul attached to Frisk’s… is mine, Chara’s.”

Alphys clutched her head in her claws. “No… no no no…! D-d-don’t tell me I brought someone else b-back!!”

Frisk was still rather startled by the entire situation, but tried to rally enough to at least reassure Alphys. “It wasn’t you! They’ve sort of been with me since I fell down into the Underground.”

“Neither of us know why it happened,” Chara expanded, “but it seems highly unlikely that you had anything to do with it. If anything, I could say that it was Frisk that brought me back, though I am still unsure how. Perhaps there was some similarity or kinship between our Souls, since I never ‘woke up’ when any of the previous humans fell.”

Alphys appeared to relax, though likely not so much from calming down as from the distraction of an interesting puzzle. “Well… f-from my scans, it looks like they’re both red. I don’t know if Soul colours mean anything… b-but that could be part of it, unless yours changed colour from the… the ‘attachment.’”

“No, there was no change,” Chara responded. “I have seen my Soul firsthand before, and I know with certainly that it was the same shade of red.”

Frisk winced at this answer, reminded of Asriel taking Chara’s Soul to cross the barrier.

“O-oh. Of… of course…” Alphys muttered disconsolately, likely thinking of the same thing.

“They… well, they often narrate some of the stuff going on around me,” Frisk explained, still a little shaken by Alphys’ vivid reaction. “Is there a way to make it so they can sometimes only talk to me, too?”

“Oh!” Alphys blinked a few times at the question, then took a few more moments to ponder it. “Hm… That shouldn’t be t-too hard, I think. It’s sort of tapping into the magic d-deep within your Soul to power the speaking, but if I attune it more to theirs…” She rushed over to her computer, clacking furiously on the keyboard to bring up the simulation of Frisk’s Soul once again. “Then it can pick up their intent… you know, whether they want to be heard by everyone or just you.”

Alphys gave a short intake of breath. “Aha! Found it!” She then turned to Frisk and reached out a claw. “I-I’ll just need it back for a moment.”

Frisk detached the ‘speaking-aid’ and handed it over to Alphys, who began to fiddle with it. Sparks of electricity arced from her clawtips to the device as she used her own magic to make the final adjustments.

“That should do it!” she declared, handing the speaking-aid back to Frisk, who put it back in their ear.

Testing, testing, Chara said in their head. She doesn’t appear to be reacting, so that is a good sign.

“Now, let me try speaking out loud,” Chara added, their voice ringing loud and clear from the device.

Alphys tilted her head in curiosity. “D-did you try the private talking first, then?”

Frisk beamed at her. “Yep! And it worked perfectly. Thanks, Alphys! This is great!” They rushed in to give her a grateful hug.

Alphys blushed faintly at the praise. “I m-mean, it wasn’t much… And we’ve still gotta figure out the next step!” Frisk stepped back and examined Alphys curiously as she continued, “I think I have an idea, but I don’t know if you’ll like it…”

Frisk simply stared at her, unsure what she could be suggesting.

Alphys took a deep breath, then began to explain, “Human bodies are too physical to bring back just from their Souls… so I don’t think that’s an option. H-however, this Soul is a bit different from a regular one, maybe because of the phase shift…? It’s almost more like a ghost.”

Well, that would be accurate, since I am dead and all, Chara stated dryly.

Frisk bit back a smile at the comment, then asked, “Um, what does that mean for your idea?”

“Well,” Alphys replied, “while I don’t think the Soul could just possess any object like an actual ghost monster, I think with the proper interface and some solid containment… it could inhabit some kind of vessel.”

Frisk’s eyes shot wide open; they had a good idea of where this might be going. “You mean you could build them a robot body?”

Alphys hunched her shoulders, seeming a lot more nervous all of a sudden. “Um… p-probably? At least, I think so. Ehehe…” Before Frisk could get too excited, she frantically waved her claws. “D-don’t just jump into saying yes or no, though! I still don’t… don’t know if it’ll work, a-and… it’d be irreversible.”

Frisk nodded in understanding, but they were still breathing quickly. Finally, a real option to help Chara! … So, why did part of them hurt at the idea? Had they really gotten that used to having someone else in their head…?

Alphys began to usher them out once more. “G-give it some thought, OK? Even if you do want that… you’d still need to choose a form, anyway. It d-doesn’t have to look human, after all… right?”

That is a good point. It could be anything… Chara mused in Frisk’s head. However, while Frisk was still in the doorframe, Chara called out a loud, “Wait!”

Alphys immediately froze, still clearly startled by hearing their voice. Now commanding her attention, Chara pleaded, “One more thing: PLEASE don’t tell Mom or Dad – er, the king and queen – about this. Not until we’re sure, at least…”

Alphys looked away, grabbing one arm with the other. “I… I thought I was t-trying to avoid keeping more secrets…”

Frisk could feel Chara wince in their head. “I know…” they responded through the speaking-aid. “And I’m sorry… but it won’t be for too long. I promise.”

Alphys turned back towards Frisk to look them in the eye. “D-do you want this too, Frisk?”

Gee, Chara, thanks for putting me on the spot. Frisk sighed, then answered, “I don’t really like it, but I guess so…” They didn’t even bother whispering when they added, “You’d better tell them soon, though, Chara. Don’t try and pull an Asriel and hide away from everyone.”

“If I do take that path, you haven't lost the power to tell them yourself, you know,” they stated with a note of sarcasm. They finished by saying, “And Alphys? Thank you. Truly.”

“O-of course!” Alphys replied dazedly. When Frisk stepped fully over the threshold, she closed the door behind them; Frisk could hear a ‘thud’ of her sinking to the floor, followed by a muttered, “(Phew. I s-still can’t believe it…)”

…

The bus ride back home seemed to take forever. Once there, Frisk quickly dropped off all of their stuff in the kitchen.

Their parents were still working, but their mom did pop her head out of her home office to welcome them back. “Welcome home, dear. How was school?”

Frisk shrugged. “Fine.”

“And how was Dr. Alphys?”

That’s right. Ever since Mt. Ebott, Frisk had tried to be scrupulously honest about where they were going when they left the house. “She’s great,” they replied. “She’s really good at machines and programming, so I think she’s happy doing all that science stuff.” They changed the subject – not out of subterfuge, but simply out of eagerness. “Can I go over to see Azzy and Conor?”

Their mom’s eyes softened. “Of course. It’s… it’s good to see you having fun with kids your own age.”

Frisk wasn’t really sure how to respond to this. They figured it was best to leave before Mom got teary-eyed. “OK! I’ll be back for dinner.” They ran back out the front door, calling out, “Thanks!” as they left.

Frisk could already spot Asriel and Conor on their own front lawn as they ran over to join them. “Hey!” they called out as they got close. “Sorry I’m late! What’re you up to?”

“We’re playing ‘Monsters and Humans,’” Conor responded with a wave. His lips then curved downwards in a faint frown. “No, wait; we wanted to change the name, right?”

Asriel nodded at him. “Yeah. It’s ‘People and Meaner People’ now.”

Conor winced. “It’s… still a work in progress.” Frisk was glad to hear that; Asriel seemingly took after his father in naming style. “Anyway,” Conor continued, “you said something about seeing Alphys, right? Did she have any cool gadgets?”

Frisk smiled and tapped their ear. “Well, she did have one…”

Alphys’ device blended in incredibly well, such that Conor had to lean in close to even spot it. “Huh? I don’t see anyth- Oh! I didn’t know you had trouble hearing, Frisk.”

“Oh, it is for help with hearing someone,” Frisk answered cryptically. “Just not for me.”

Asriel stepped closer and rolled his eyes. “C’mon, Frisk. You know the mysterious double-meaning stuff is my thing.”

Frisk took a mock formal bow. “And I learned from the best, sensei.” They then whispered, “(I think it’s time to show them.)”

“Greetings,” came a voice seemingly out of thin air.

Conor took a step back in surprise, but Asriel outright fell to the grass, his eyes as wide as saucers. “Chara, you can… you can talk now?”

“Indeed. That was the purpose of Alphys’ ‘speaking-aid,’ after all.”

Conor’s eyes shone. “That’s awesome! Now there’s four of us!” Those same eyes then opened wide in panic, and he hurriedly corrected himself. “I mean, I know you’ve always been here, it’s just-”

“Yes, I can participate more fully in your conversations,” Chara answered, sounding surprisingly calm. Frisk had figured they might have been hurt at being considered left out… but then they realized that Chara probably felt like they deserved it.

The three (now four, as it were) friends enjoyed each other’s company for a while longer. Both Conor and Asriel chatted excitedly with Chara, who, in contrast, was still quite reluctant to speak at length.

Eventually, Frisk could tell that all the interaction was wearing them out. Maybe we share emotions a little bit, too? they wondered to themself. Still, it seemed like a good idea to give them a break, and they had wanted to ask Toriel about something, anyway.

“By the way,” Frisk asked, “where’s your mom?” At the inquisitive looks they received, Frisk explained, “I just had a question about something at school.”

“Ohhh.” Conor nodded in understanding. “She’s just in the back garden, I think.”

“Yeah,” Asriel confirmed. “Dad keeps offering to help – he’s got a real green paw – but she just says she can handle it fine by herself.”

Frisk gave a short, sharp nod. “Thanks. I’ll be back soon!”

Meandering over to the rear garden through the side gate, Frisk noted how green everything still looked, even in this early October.

Mom may not be as good with plants as Dad, but she seems to be managing just fine, Chara observed. Either that, or she’s using it as a coping mechanism.

“(It doesn’t always have to be some dark tragedy, you know,)” Frisk whispered back. Chara did not reply.

They found Toriel clearing away some dead foliage near the rear of the garden. They weren’t sure exactly how to draw her attention, but they got lucky, and she happened to turn around just as they falteringly stepped forward.

“Oh! Greetings, Frisk!” she welcomed them warmly. “I hope you are doing well this fine autumn afternoon.” She breathed in deeply through her nose, her eyes closed in contentment. “It has been three weeks here on the surface, but I suspect that I will not take this crisp, fresh air for granted for quite some time.” She then opened her eyes again. “Oh, but look at me go on. I imagine you were up front with Asriel and Conor; what brings you here to me, then?”

Frisk swallowed nervously. “It’s… not a big deal or anything, but… I just had a few questions about magic. Well, about how to get it to work, I guess.”

Toriel seemed to recall something, her eyes softening. “Ah, yes. Cese – Ms. Eyewalker – mentioned your red flame this morning in the staff room. She sounded quite proud of you.” Toriel sounded rather proud, herself. “I believe you are her first human student to achieve such a feat.”

Frisk firmly shook their head. “That was just a fluke! I don’t think fire magic is my sort of thing, really. I mean, it was just a normal, smaller fire today.” They paused, then looked up at Toriel. “… How do you find out what kind of magic is… well… you?”

“Ah,” Toriel hesitated, perhaps not expecting the question. “For us monsters, it comes so naturally that it would be like asking how you learn to breathe: you simply do.” She pondered for a moment longer. “However, from my experience with Conor, I would say that finding your own magic is as much a journey of self-discovery as it is unlocking that initial spark. If you conjured any flame at all – even a regular one – it shows that you have achieved the latter goal, so it is only the former you must still accomplish.”

She seemed to study Frisk closely. “As to determining precisely what form your magic will take, I can only say that it is typically based on what you identify with as a person. For example, Conor’s affinity for fire likely arises from how close we became.” She smiled in fond remembrance. “After all, children do often take after their parents in magic.”

“Was that the case for Chara, too?” Frisk inquired.

Why would you bring that up?? Chara demanded in Frisk’s head. Either you’ll hurt her, or… or she doesn’t care enough to remember.

Toriel became very subdued, staring down at her paws. “… Yes,” she answered softly. “They… their magic did often take on an appearance of flames, though plants and vines were also prevalent.” She sighed. “They did so love botany…”

Toriel’s eyes began to glimmer with unshed tears, causing Frisk to try and quickly change the subject. “What about the colour?” they asked. “Why is it blue for you, or silver for Conor?”

Toriel shook her head, trying to chase away a bad dream. “Oh? Well, that is far more personal. For myself… blue simply suits me, I think.” She held up a small tongue of azure flame in one paw and smiled faintly. “Would you not agree?”

“Outside of that,” she continued more seriously, “it could be based on what you like or how you see yourself. Asriel always adored most aspects of the sky, but rainbows have ever been his favourite, which is why I suspect his magic adopted their multicoloured hue. As for Conor, he has confided to me his love of the moon and stars, so I would say that they almost certainly serve as the inspiration for his silvery colouration.”

Toriel pointed at Frisk with a single claw. “In your case, however, it may be best to return to the subject of general meanings behind magic. I am most familiar with fire, of course, so I will use it as an example.” She calmly held out her arms, but with upturned palms. A roaring flame erupted directly upwards out of each, making Frisk glad she was giving this lesson outside. “Fire can be destructive and consuming-” She then reduced it to the point where her paws simply bore a gentle glow. “-but it can also be warm and nurturing. In fact, this latter principle is the basis for much healing magic.”

Next, she raised one arm straight up in the air, holding a brilliant flame aloft; Frisk could barely look directly at its intense brightness. “It can even serve as a light in the darkness – a beacon to shine for all to see.” Bringing her arm back down, she smiled at them. “It can be all these and more, depending on the person wielding it and what their intentions are.”

Frisk could think of several situations where they had seen fire magic represented in each way. However, it seemed like flame did not apply to them… so what did?

Toriel continued her lesson. “I am less familiar with other forms, but I do know that wind magic is quick and agile, and those who wield it tend to be swift in thought and deed. Similarly, lightning or electric magic could represent flashes of inspiration or moments of intense feeling, while ice or water magic could be cool and distant or represent a desire for restraint and patient action.”

Frisk listened with eyes wide open. Why couldn’t they be in Toriel’s class? She described this stuff so well, and the demonstrations with fire made the lesson so much more interesting!

After these examples, Toriel kneeled before Frisk and placed a paw on their shoulder. “However, there are numerous aspects your magic can adopt beyond these, and there are as many explanations for what magic says about a person as there are monsters in the world. Whatever form your magic takes, I am sure that it will suit you perfectly, and I am certain that it will be beautiful.”

Frisk found themself feeling incredibly grateful. It… helped to hear that. Still, they weren’t sure if it answered the main question. “But how do I figure out which is me?”

Toriel gave an apologetic smile. “I am afraid there is no better way than practice and experimentation. Just remember: it is a part of you, so the less you try and force a particular form, the more likely that you will be drawn to your own style of magic.”

So, there weren’t any quick-fire methods? No way to speed things up? It was just ‘keep doing what you’re doing?’ Frisk sighed. “Thanks… I guess at least I know I’m close.”

Toriel stood up and began to walk back into the thick of the garden. “Indeed. And do not rush things, Frisk. The journey of self-discovery is a long one, but it is worth every step.”

With these words of wisdom bouncing around their head, Frisk returned to their friends in front of the house.

…

Later that afternoon, when the two of them were trying to struggle through some science homework together (Asriel had finished in record time, and was currently playing some single-player game), Conor asked Frisk, “We saw the fire shoot up earlier. Does that mean Mom was telling you about the different types of magic?” At Frisk’s nod, his eyes lit up. “I loved when she did that for me; it was so cool! I guess I should have known I’d take after her with flame, but at the time I had no idea what to expect for my magic.”

Frisk shrugged. “Well, so far, I know mine isn’t fire-based, but that’s about it…”

Conor looked sympathetic. “Well, you actually got a bit to work, though, right? That’s totally the hardest step, so it should be a lot easier now. We can practice together, if you want.”

It was a kind offer, but Frisk knew that Conor was devoting a lot of time to improving his own magical skill, and assisting them with the fundamentals likely wouldn’t help much. “It’s fine,” they assured him. “I’m not in that big a hurry; I don’t even have more magic classes until next Monday.”

Conor tilted his head curiously, but didn’t press the issue. “… Okay. I guess you need to get home, anyway…”

What? Was it that time already!? Frisk gave a start and hurriedly checked their phone. They weren’t late for dinner or anything, but it was cutting it close; they hadn’t realized just how late it had gotten. “Oh, yeah, I’d better go!” They quickly packed up their schoolwork and everything else. “See you tomorrow!”

Conor grinned. “See ya, Frisk.”

Frisk rushed back to their own house, dropping off their stuff in their room. All things considered, today had been a good day. “(You ready for dinner, Chara?)”

You realize that it does not matter either way, correct? You will be the one consuming food and making conversation, after all.

“(Yeah, sure, but it’s still the two of us, right?)”

And yet you are working hard to ensure that we can be separate.

Frisk didn’t have a good response for that. The little niggling pain from when they were leaving Alphys’ lab returned. They did want this for Chara… right? And if not… why not?

…

Yes, they’d definitely have to give a lot more thought before deciding on Alphys’ offer.

Chapter Text

It was early Monday morning, right before first recess; Conor was sitting in Mx. Diamond’s class, listening intently as they went over the finer details of how monsters and magic interacted. While the lesson seemed closer to biology than magic, the two had a tendency to overlap when monsters were concerned. Honestly, magic classes in general felt to Conor like a mix between science and art, since some of the lessons revolved around the mechanics of magic and its interactions with monsters and the environment, while the rest focused on using it to express yourself in a variety of forms.

Conor felt a little strange being the only human there (or could he consider himself part-human now? Mostly-human? Human-lite?), but it was hardly a surprise; he did have a solid head-start, after all, thanks to two years spent in the Underground, along with the small fragment of monster Soul from Asriel. Even his short adventure with Frisk had forced his magic to improve in leaps and bounds out of sheer necessity.

I guess it was a real ‘trial by fire’ for my fire, he thought to himself while reminiscing about that journey. Hah! I have to tell Mom that one later.

Honestly, though, being surrounded by monsters wasn’t that much of an issue for him, apart from making him a little self-conscious. The real feeling of isolation was more from not knowing anyone else in the class, since all the monsters there were a few years younger than him. Still, he wasn’t planning on being in this grade for long, so it probably didn’t matter.

While he had let himself get a little distracted in introspection, Conor’s ears perked up when Mx. Diamond said, “After all, monsters’ bodies are tied so very tightly with their Souls. As such, is it any surprise that…”

This single phrase sparked Conor’s imagination, sending his mind spiralling in new directions. Monster bodies are connected so closely to their Souls… Is that why Asriel stayed a boss monster after we restored his Soul, instead of going back to a flower? … Is that why I have these horns now, since I have a tiny piece of that very Soul? Does that mean the Soul is the real key…?

Conor’s thoughts continued along these lines throughout the rest of the class, crowding out anything else Mx. Diamond might have said. When the bell rang, he absentmindedly packed up his books with the rest of the class to head out for recess.

Unexpectedly, when Conor stepped out of the classroom, he found MK already waiting for him. Their own lesson must have finished a little early. “Yo, Conor!” they called out, dashing over to walk alongside him towards his locker. “Your magic stuff still going good? Does that mean you’re gonna be in my class soon?”

Conor smiled warmly at the sight of his friend. “Hey, MK! Yeah, it’s still going really well. Maybe I can catch up to your grade in a week, if I work really hard at it – which I’m going to!”

“That’s awesome!” MK exclaimed, practically bouncing on their feet. “It’s soooo boring right now; it’ll be great to have another friend there! I can even help you with your homework, too! Nyeh heh heh!” MK had shifted their role model from Undyne to Papyrus, taking inspiration from the cheerful skeleton and adopting some of his mannerisms. While Conor was still fond of Undyne, he approved of MK’s choice; to be honest, there weren’t many better than Papyrus, and certainly none greater.

Still, he felt a little guilty over MK’s excitement. “That would help a lot, thanks! But I don’t want to get your hopes up too much… You know I’m going to try and keep going past that…”

The spikes on MK’s head almost seemed to droop. “Oh yeah… you’re still trying to catch up with Azzy, aren’t you?”

Conor felt slightly uncomfortable. “It’s not exactly that… I just want to get as good at magic as I can, as fast as possible, so I can-”

At this point, three more students he recognized came down the hall – two humans and one monster. The first human, a dark-skinned girl with frizzy hair dyed with highlights of rich purple, remarked, “Trying to get even further ahead in the magic stuff, Conor? How come you get to do that, anyway?”

Conor gave a start; he vaguely remembered the girl – Aysha – from before he had run away to Mt. Ebott, but this was the first time she’d spoken to him since he came back from the Underground. He managed to recover quickly, pointing at his horns and making a passable attempt at a confident smile. “It’s because I’m part-monster, so magic comes easier.”

“Does that mean Miss Toriel is your real mom?” the second human kid inquired curiously. With their short blond hair and pale skin, Conor remembered seeing them in his mom’s class when he’d gone to visit her. He thought maybe their name was… Robin? Yes, that sounded right.

“Well…” Conor answered, “not like you mean, Robin, but… yeah, she is.”

“Oh, come off it, Conor!” Aysha growled, rolling her eyes. “We both know you were here a couple years ago, and you didn’t have horns then!” She grabbed for his horns and tugged, but only managed to pull his head forward.

“Ow! Hey! They’re not fake, you know!” Conor slipped out of her grasp and stepped back. “They only grew out recently,” he answered proudly. “Maybe it’s a puberty thing or something.”

“Uh huh, sure…” Aysha did not seem convinced.

Now it was the monster’s turn to join in the conversation. With his rubbery grey-green skin and tentacles instead of hair, Conor recognized him as Oreph, though they didn’t tend to interact too much. Oreph pointed out, “Except monsters haven’t been on the surface for centuries, so how could one be your parent?”

Conor shuffled his feet. “Well, I more meant that I’m part-monster now. I wasn’t before, I know that…” He then declared to the four of them (including MK), “And I’ll be a full monster soon enough!”

Oreph and MK took a step back in surprise, while Robin just looked confused. Aysha, however, narrowed her eyes at the perceived insult. “Oh, you will, huh? Something wrong with being human?” she demanded, one hand on her hip.

Ah, he hadn’t quite meant it like that. He knew he could apologize, but from what he remembered, that tended to just annoy her further. “Only for me,” he responded firmly. “You know I’ve always felt a little… different. Well, I finally found out why.”

Aysha gave a snort of disbelief, then tried to stare him down for a solid fifteen seconds; he gazed back as calmly as he could, trying to convey his honest intent through his eyes. Finally, she backed down. “Huh, fine.” She then added (with surprising sincerity), “Good luck with that, Conor,” and walked off down the hall, Robin and Oreph trailing behind.

Conor let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “… Well, that could have gone a whole lot worse,” he commented to MK as they reached his locker and he packed away his books.

“I guess so…” MK agreed, sounding somewhat confused. “Who was that, anyway? Does she know you??”

Conor worked to pull together his memories from over two years ago. “Huh? Oh! That’s Aysha. I kind of knew her before I came to the Underground. She was… well, maybe ‘friend’ is a bit too strong, but…” His eyes fell into shadow at the recollection. “She always noticed the bruises from my last family, even when I tried to hide them…” He sighed. “She got angry on my behalf a lot, and she kept trying to get me to do something about it.”

How did she feel when I ran away? Conor wondered. Was she glad I had finally acted? Or did she blame herself for my… disappearance? Everyone knows the legends about Mt. Ebott, after all… Maybe her reasons for not talking to him until now were more complicated than he’d thought.

“Oh! So she’s a good guy!” MK reasoned.

Conor smiled. “Yeah, I guess she is…”

Glancing over at MK, he noticed they were studying him closely. “Yo, did you really mean that?” they asked intently. “About becoming a monster?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I did. I just have to figure out how… That’s why I want to get as good at magic as I can.”

“What kind are you gonna be?” MK inquired, their tail lashing in excitement. “A skeleton like Papyrus? A fish like Undyne? Ooh!! Maybe a-”

Conor quickly interjected, “I want to be one like Mom… and like Az. Sorry… I know it’s kind of boring to be the same as them.”

MK smacked their forehead with the end of their tail. “Oh, duh! Nah, that makes sense. I mean, I’m glad I’m like my parents!” They thought for a moment. “Even if it means I have to be like my sis, too…”

Conor chuckled. “She doesn’t still call you names, does she?”

MK shrugged (Conor still wasn’t sure how they managed it without shoulders, but it always impressed him). “Yeah, but I’ve gotten waaay better at just ignoring her. After all, ‘The Great MK’ does not respond to such childish insults! Nyeh heh heh!”

As the two of them walked out to the schoolyard to join Frisk and Asriel, Conor returned to pondering…

Monster bodies are tied to their Souls…

…

Conor couldn’t shake these thoughts through the rest of the day, making it hard to pay attention for his other classes. He’d probably have to ask Frisk or Asriel what he missed, but this was just too important! When he did finally get home, he raced upstairs to his room to try and practice his new idea. When he felt like he had a solid foundation for how it might go, he called his friends upstairs.

“I wanted to show you something!” he declared eagerly, beckoning them both into his room. “I think I’ve got a new idea for how to get that monster illusion working; I thought you’d want to be the first to see it!”

Asriel appeared slightly impatient (though with good reason). “Isn’t this, like, the seventh attempt you’ve wanted to show us? What makes you think it’ll work this time?”

Conor gave a self-deprecating smile. “Just be glad I only called you for the most promising ones. I’ve tried something like five times by myself for each that seemed worth showing you.”

He continued, his excitement building, “But this time, I’m using a completely different strategy. I’ve been focusing on changing the body, but that’s such a human way of looking at it. Monster bodies are practically extensions of their Souls, after all… so the Soul must be the real key!”

His eagerness quickly turned to confusion when, instead of the cheerful – or at least ambivalent – response he was expecting, he was met with looks of fear and concern.

“Your SOUL?!” Asriel’s shock quickly turned into a protective fury. “Are you CRAZY!? NOTHING is worth risking that!”

Frisk agreed, though less emphatically. “Are you sure you should just play around with your Soul like that? It hardly sounds safe…”

Conor waved off their concerns. “It’ll still be an illusion-”

“For now,” Asriel interrupted with a sigh, “but we all know you’re not going to stop there…”

Conor broke eye contact, unable to deny this statement. “Well… let’s just see if this works at all, first. Maybe it’ll be another dead-end.”

Frisk studied Conor for a couple seconds, as though trying to gauge how important this was to him. Then, in a gallant peacekeeping effort, they attempted to lighten the mood. “Yeah, it’s worth a try, at least. Either it doesn’t work and Azzy can breathe easy, or it does and you’ve got a cool new fuzzy look. It’s a win-win!” Asriel rolled his eyes at Frisk, but it seemed like their plan had worked; he was distracted enough that some of the worry had left his face.

Conor breathed a sigh of relief at their successful defusal of some of the tension. Thank you, Frisk.

He glanced tentatively between his best friend and his brother for permission to start. Frisk gave a friendly nod and a thumbs-up; Asriel tried to swallow his own concern, giving a cautious nod of his own. Smiling in gratitude, Conor took a deep breath, then held his arms out in front of him with palms inward and started to focus. Slowly, his Soul emerged from his chest and rested in the air between his hands. It hovered there, with its asymmetry and the white-and-gold fragment at its core, gently pulsing a soft green light. Asriel winced at the reminder, but Conor was staring too intently at the Soul to really notice.

In a sudden flash of inspiration, he spoke a short phrase, almost like some magic spell out of a fantasy book: “Shroud the Soul, and the body will follow.” He wasn’t sure what induced him to say it, but it just… felt right. Maybe the words had some magic of their own, or helped to focus his mind? Either way, he concentrated on his Soul, beginning to feel a power build deep within.

The glow from the white Soul fragment began to brighten, followed by that of the human Soul surrounding it. However, the vibrant green colour was soon obscured by a shell forming around Conor’s Soul in the form of a white inverted heart: a monster Soul. At the same time, brilliant light began to envelop Conor himself, mere millimetres away from his skin. Conor couldn’t see much through the brightness, but heard a gasp from Asriel, and barely spotted Frisk’s mouth hanging wide open. Something was definitely happening!

The light continued to intensify, soon becoming too blinding to see, forcing Conor to close his eyes. As it faded away, he heard fresh gasps from both Frisk and Asriel. That was a good sign… right? Something certainly felt different, at least.

Conor patted his face, feeling both how far forward his snout was and the fine fur on its surface. He brought a hand (or could he call it a paw now? It certainly felt like one) to his shoulder and gently lifted the long, fuzzy ear draped over it. Though everything was a bit numb – like it didn’t have the feeling it should (probably from being an illusion) – it really was all there: every aspect he had imagined. His breathing quickened and his heart began to race. He had done it! It had worked!!

Frisk and Asriel followed close behind as he dashed over to the large standing mirror next to the closet, desperate to see what he now looked like. The moment his reflection came into full view, he completely froze in shock. There it was, right in front of him; he really did look like a boss monster… but it wasn’t even just that. While he’d had some general thoughts on how he might appear, it was like the magic (or his Soul…?) had filled in details he’d never even considered; and, though unexpected, each added flourish felt like it fit him perfectly. His deep red hair looked similar, but now ran down the sides of his head in the very beginnings of a mane like Asgore’s. Light grey patches of fur on his face echoed his freckles as a human, and he never would have come up with the rich auburn shading of the fur near the tips of his ears. Only one part of him distinctly hadn’t changed: his eyes were still the same bright, inquisitive green as before.

Conor continued to stare at himself in the mirror, his mouth hanging open. His eyes began to glisten, and he reached a trembling paw up to the glass as if to touch his reflection. He’d always felt mildly uncomfortable around mirrors, like he was seeing a stranger whenever he looked in one… However, for the first time in his life, it felt like the face staring back at him was truly his own. It was… overwhelming.

As if to intensify his emotions, Chara’s voice suddenly spoke up through Frisk’s speaking-aid. “Allow me to narrate for you, this once.” They dramatically cleared their non-existent throat. “*ahem* It’s you, Conor.”

Conor’s mouth extended further as he released a sudden gasp, and the tears gathering in his eyes began to spill freely down his cheeks. He turned around to hug Frisk (and though them, Chara). “Thank you, Chara,” he managed to say through a throat tight with emotion.

Asriel could clearly feel Conor’s joy, but still looked more confused than anything else. He groaned in frustration. “Ugh, I just don’t get it! Why do you even want to be a monster, anyway? You know how much weaker we are than humans! How much more… more fragile…”

He’s probably just being protective again, Conor thought. He can be worse than Mom sometimes… He took a deep breath to calm himself. There had to be a way to explain this…

Suddenly, it hit him. “When you were a flower… did it feel like you were trapped in a body you weren’t meant to be in?”

Asriel tilted his head, mildly puzzled. “Yeah… You know that already.”

Conor answered softly, “Well… in the back of my mind… I’ve felt that way my whole life.”

Frisk gave a supportive smile at this. Yes, they had some idea what he was talking about, at least. Asriel simply stared at him, clearly unsure of how to respond; Conor could feel a hint of the complex emotions Asriel was wrestling with, and took this as a hopeful sign.

Frisk seemingly took this as another opportunity to try and distract Asriel from his worry. “Okay, so then how come you look so similar to Azzy here?” they asked, their voice light.

Conor noted the tone, and replied teasingly, “What do you mean? There’s plenty of differences between us! Or are you saying all boss monsters look the same? Sounds pretty speciesist to me,” His smirk quickly turned into a pensive frown. “To be honest, though… even I can’t explain everything about how I look right now. Maybe it was something subconscious?”

Asriel put a reassuring paw on Conor’s shoulder. “Don’t worry! I think the differences are pretty obvious.” He faced Frisk and offered magnanimously, “It’s not too surprising, though; I mean, most humans still look pretty similar to me.”

Frisk immediately joked, “Oh, so is that why you mistook me for Chara?”

Conor felt a spike of irritation from Asriel through their link, as Asriel’s eye twitched. “NO! That was completely different!” He then grumbled, “It’s not my fault your Souls are the same colour. I just thought you were toying with me again, Chara.”

Chara took a few seconds to respond. “… I did tend to go too far with that, didn’t I? I am sorry, Asriel…”

Asriel flicked a paw in dismissal. “It’s fine. We both did stuff we regret, right? That one doesn’t even fit in the top ten.” He turned back to Conor, clearly trying to shift the conversation. “So, this seems to be working a lot better than the stuff you tried before.”

Conor decided the best thing to do was to seize the opportunity to bring the subject to a happier one. “Yeah, this is great!” He stared back into the mirror. “I still can’t believe it…”

It felt like a chance to be a new him, free from the worries and shackles of the old. He raised a paw in greeting at his own reflection. “Howdy! I’m Conor; Conor Dreemurr!”

Asriel burst into fits of laughter. “Pfft! Haha! You don’t need to change how you talk, you know. I’m not sure if ‘Howdy!’ really fits you.”

Conor blushed, feeling slightly defensive. “Well, I think Mom’s ‘Greetings’ is a bit too formal for me, don’t you?”

Frisk asked, “Does it even need to be different? What’s wrong with your usual ‘Hey’ or ‘Hi,’ anyway? That’s always been pretty ‘you.’”

Conor shuffled in mild embarrassment. “Nothing, really. I just thought… this was a good chance to try something new, you know? See what fits…”

He faced the mirror once more and waved. “Hey! I’m Conor; nice to meet you!” He then glanced over at the others. “Yeah, that did still work the best, didn’t it?”

Chara’s voice spoke out, then, with surprising lightness, “It sounds like despite everything, it’s still you.”

Conor grinned back at the reflection of Frisk (and Chara) in the mirror. “… Yeah, I guess it is." His gaze shifted to his own image and – as though trying to nurture this hopeful seedling – he whispered to himself, “(It always has been…)”

Suddenly, he thought of another opportunity that now presented itself. “Oh! One more thing…” He took out his phone, holding it out to whoever would take it. “Could one of you snap a quick headshot of me right now?” He blushed faintly once more. “I want to update my Undernet profile picture.”

“You’d better do it, Frisk,” Asriel suggested. “Smaller fingers are still a lot better for that sort of thing.” As Frisk took Conor’s proffered phone and aimed for a good shot, Asriel added teasingly, “I can’t wait to see your first texts! There’s going to be sooo many mistakes!”

Conor rolled his eyes as he took the phone back from Frisk. “Yeah, yeah. It’s not that big a difference.” He then glanced down at the pictures Frisk had taken. The second one looked perfect; his face was in good focus, and he had a pretty natural-looking smile. “Thanks, Frisk! That looks great!”

“It wasn’t just how you look, though, right?” Frisk asked. “What about your magic? Did it make a difference for that?”

Of course! How could he forget? His magic was such a huge reason for him trying this in the first place. He was kind of amazed Frisk had remembered.

“I don’t know, but let’s find out!” Conor answered excitedly. He raised a paw and tried to summon a mote of flame.

…

Nothing happened.

Slightly concerned, Conor attempted to conjure his familiar shield.

…

Nothing happened.

Now starting to panic, Conor tried to bring out any sort of magic whatsoever, but it felt like he didn’t have any magic to use. Or, more accurately… like he didn’t have any magic to spare. This illusion was effectively a temporary body, after all. Perhaps it needed all his magic to sustain it?

His entire posture drooped. “I think… I think all my magic is going to the illusion. It feels like I don’t have a single drop left for anything else.”

Asriel immediately became worried once more. “It’s not permanent, is it?”

“I don’t think so…” Conor replied uncertainly. He concentrated on ending the spell, feeling the outer shell around his body and Soul dissipate into nothingness. The process reminded him of dismissing his shield; if he needed any other reminder that this was only an illusion, he certainly had it now…

He felt a little weak and drained, but brought his hand out and tentatively conjured a silver flame. It flickered dimly, but that was hardly a surprise with his magical reserves so low. “Well, I guess that proves it. I can’t do any magic while it’s up…” While he was tempted to fall into despair, a small, shining part of him took it as a challenge instead. He lifted his chin up defiantly. “All the more reason to go for the next step: becoming an actual monster!”

Asriel took a step back, but then immediately walked right back up to stand in front of Conor. “What!? No! This is just an illusion and I guess it seems pretty safe… but what do you think is gonna happen if you start toying with your Soul like that?” He broke his gaze with Conor, his eyes falling into shadow. “I know what it’s like to not have one…”

Conor put a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “It wasn’t just the Soul…” he responded softly.

Asriel twisted out of his grasp. “That doesn’t mean it wasn’t a big part. What if your Soul breaks? What if it gets lost? What if you get partway through and find out you can’t complete the spell?”

“I…” Conor was at a brief loss for words. He couldn’t deny those outcomes were possible, but…

“We’re out of Dreams, too,” Frisk added. “That probably would have been your best shot, but I don’t know how you could do it without them… Maybe this is the safest place to stop?”

Conor scowled at both of them. “What, so are you two going to gang up on me, now? ‘Protect me from myself?’” He vigorously shook his head. “I KNOW it’s dangerous. I KNOW it won’t be easy…” He faced Frisk directly. “But if we'd let that stop us before, we’d all still be in the Underground right now, and you know it.”

Frisk winced at the claim, likely realizing there was some truth to it. Conor seized the opportunity to make a heartfelt plea. “Look, you kept telling me that I need to start caring about what I want, right? And I’m not that bad at learning new stuff; I've figured out that sometimes I need to do something for myself… and this is it.”

Maybe Frisk was starting to be convinced, if their guilty expression was anything to go by. Conor went back to facing his brother, who was still frowning in what was likely a mixture of worry and annoyance.

“Look, Conor, I get it,” Asriel began. “When that whole… Soul thing happened and you got your horns, it gave you hope that your dream could still come true.” Conor nodded at this; however, his face fell as Asriel continued, “But that hope is blinding you to all the dangers! You’ve got this illusion now, and I’m happy it works – I really am! – but… do you really need to take all those extra risks to push it further?”

Conor wasn’t sure the best way to explain. “I…” he began, then changed course. “This is a great start, but… it’s just that: a start. I guess it could change how people see me, but not how I feel… if that makes sense? That itch, that feeling I was talking about? It’s deep, way deeper than this. Soul-deep.” He stared Asriel straight in the eye. “I HAVE to try. Please…”

With every response he gave, he could feel his brother’s rising annoyance… but that just fueled his own frustration with this overprotectiveness, creating a feedback loop of emotion between the two of them.

“And if something does happen,” Asriel demanded, “how do you think Mom’ll feel, huh? Do you really want to hurt her like that?”

“Is this really about Mom, or you?” Conor retorted. “You can’t control everything, Az! You can’t protect me from every single danger out there!" He had a sudden thought, adding, “Besides, if it really does go wrong, Frisk could always Load, right?”

Frisk looked a little uncomfortable. “Yeah… but I’m trying to avoid that, you know.”

Asriel instantly became incredibly somber. “It doesn’t matter, anyway,” he stated quietly. “You’d remember…”

Something in his tone chilled Conor to the bone, managing to make Asriel’s point far more strongly than any of his previous arguments. It seemed to snap Conor out of that feedback of frustration, too, all his annoyance gone in an instant.

And yet… Did he really have to give this up? Was that his only option? It was a risk, not a certainty, right? So, couldn’t he do something to lower that risk?

“I’m sorry, Az, but… there’s gotta be a way to do this. I’m not going to try tomorrow or anything, but… I won’t give it up just because it isn’t 100% safe.”

Asriel looked like he had been struck in the face. “Really? You’re still…!?” He closed his eyes, seeming to steel himself for something. His voice sounded calm, but it carried the chill of a frozen lake. “You know what? Fine. Get yourself killed. See if I care.” He turned around and began to leave.

Conor’s mouth opened in shock, and he reached an arm out towards his brother. “Wait! Asriel!” However, Asriel did not look back as he stormed out of the room. After sadly watching him turn the corner into the hallway, Conor let out a deep sigh. “I… I didn’t think it was that big a deal for him. I get why he’s worried, but I’m not going to let it stop me. I’ll just… I’ll just have to be careful…”

Frisk put a hand on his shoulder. “I hope you will,” they spoke softly, but firmly. “He’s still hurt pretty bad. I don’t think he could take losing anyone close to him right now.”

Conor winced. He shouldn’t have needed Frisk to tell him that. He knew it already, deep down; he could feel it. And yet… they both wanted him to care about his own happiness too, right? Didn’t this count?

…

He recalled the fierce hug (and fiercer scolding) Asriel had given him in the Ruins after he had thought Conor had died.

…

He wouldn’t stop trying – this was too important to him – but yes, he would definitely have to be incredibly careful…

Chapter Text

Asriel was sitting at his desk in science class, and he was bored. Mrs. Garcia was going over evolutionary adaptations, with today’s focus on plants, but Asriel knew it all already. In this case, it wasn’t even just from all the books he’d read to stave off the boredom and emptiness as Flowey… but also from being Flowey. He was pretty sure no one else had quite the same insight into the plant kingdom as he did, though it wasn’t an experience he’d care to repeat. He had missed consuming real food and drink so much; taking nutrients from the air, water, and soil just wasn’t the same.

“As another example of the natural defenses plants have developed, we have…-” Mrs. Garcia went to the next slide, showing a zoomed-in picture of the stem of a rose. The image was incredibly detailed; the sharp thorns looked like they could dig into you if you got too close to the screen. “-the prickles of a rose. Now, these are commonly believed to be thorns, but-”

His teacher continued explaining, but Asriel was distracted by an immediate spike of terror that was not his own – it must have been through the link. He glanced over just in time to see both Frisk and Conor flinch reflexively and look away with pained expressions. Asriel winced, remembering when he had torn them apart over and over and over…

I knew you couldn’t have put it aside so easily, he thought. But… there’s no way I can undo what I did to both of you… And how do I even begin to make up for it?

No one else seemed to notice this reaction, and Frisk and Conor both calmed down quite quickly, their attention back on the lesson. However, Asriel would not forget; he would not let himself forget. While he couldn’t bring it up immediately, he held onto the memory through the rest of this class and the next, until he was able to stop Frisk and Conor on the way to the cafeteria for lunch.

“So, what was all that about in science class?” he asked, already knowing the answer.

Conor became slightly evasive. “Huh? W-what do you mean?”

Frisk, too, tried to avoid the subject. “C’mon you two, we’d better claim our spot before anyone else takes it.”

Asriel merely continued to stare at Conor (the ‘weaker link,’ at least in terms of deception), who shuffled guiltily. Asriel then let out a sharp exhalation through his nose. “I already know, so you don’t have to hide it. It was from when I…” His voice became a whisper. “(… When I killed you both.)” His tone became mildly accusing. “Why didn’t you tell me it still hurt!?”

Frisk shrugged. “How would that have helped? You feel guilty enough as it is.”

Conor sighed. “Sorry. It’s just… hard to forget.” He put a hand on Asriel’s shoulder, offering a faint smile. “We’ll feel better eventually. Just… not yet, OK?”

Clearly considering the question answered (and the discussion over), Frisk then added, “We really should get going, though. I still want to get our favourite spot!” They proceeded to rush off, Conor close behind.

Asriel followed, though a touch more slowly. You’d have to be pretty weak to let all of that still get to you, was his first thought. However, he immediately responded in his head, But you’d have to be really strong to still reach out, in spite of that pain… He clung as tightly as he could to that second idea.

Still, it didn’t exactly help him forget everything he’d done; not just to Frisk and Conor, but to so many other monsters throughout his innumerable Resets. Sure, they basically didn’t remember anything, but he did. And was he even getting any better, anyway? Or was he just trying to deny who he really was?

…

Maybe he needed to talk about this stuff again.

…

Asriel still remembered the first time he had discussed his… experiences with Conor. He had originally hesitated to go into detail for some of the worse things he had done, but Conor had gently reassured him, “Az, I’m not here to judge, but to listen. That’s what I’ve always been here for.” He had then tugged on his own ear lobe and winked, joking, “Why do you think I want some bigger ears than these?”

Asriel smiled in reminiscence. Talking about… well, everything, had helped more than he’d expected. If nothing else, simply having someone else who knew all he had done and still believed he could be a good person (and knowing Conor truly believed this, thanks to their link) was… freeing.

And that was what made Conor’s recent obsession all the more painful. He had a family now; he had both Mom and Asriel, and sort of Dad, too. He even managed to pull off that realistic illusion. Wasn’t that enough? Why did he have to try and be an actual monster, when the risks were so great? Just thinking about all the possible dangers made Asriel’s throat tighten… Why couldn’t Conor see the pain he was causing? Or worse: if he could see, why didn’t he care?

Asriel clenched his jaw, almost grinding his teeth with stress and worry. He couldn’t lose anyone; not again. At least Frisk was being reasonably responsible (perhaps due to Chara’s influence, though likely in spite of it); and while Mom and Dad weren’t together (another fact he knew was his fault), they, too, were not putting themselves in unnecessary danger. So, he had only one person left to worry about… He sighed. Just, why did that person have to be his new brother?

These painful thoughts ran in circles around Asriel’s head, like a dog chasing its own tail, distracting him through the rest of his classes. He’d normally talk to Conor about this sort of stuff, but how could he this time, when it would probably end up in another fight? It’s not like either of them had changed their minds about Conor’s plan; Asriel still considered it too dangerous, while Conor thought it was worth the risk. And yet… It had been a couple days since Conor revealed his illusion, and while things had been a bit tense between them, they hadn’t actually gotten into a new argument over it. Talking about something totally different should be safe… right?

…

Asriel still hadn’t arrived at a decision when Frisk came over to his house so the two of them could prepare for tomorrow’s soiree. There would be some important delegates from a number of human countries there, and while most of the burden would be on Asgore, Toriel, and Papyrus, Asriel and Frisk still wanted to do what they could.

Conor was (enviably) not attending said event, so he had gone outside to play with MK, who had been able to visit for the afternoon. Asriel wouldn’t have minded joining them, but he figured he ought to try and make a good impression tomorrow. Besides, it gave him a bit more time to decide if talking over his problems was worth the risk of another fight.

Asriel suggested that he and Frisk head up to his bedroom, so they could practice together in front of the mirror. Frisk agreed, and the two of them swiftly climbed up the steps and into the room. After they stepped through the doorway, Frisk turned to Asriel and asked, “You sure you’re OK with helping, Azzy? I’ve got Chara here, too; I’m sure they can help me out.”

“I suspect that Asriel needs to practice just as much as you do,” Chara stated confidently.

“Nah, it’s fine,” Asriel replied to Frisk. “Chara’s right, anyway. We’re both going to this party-thing tomorrow, right? So we’re both in trouble if it goes wrong.” Without even noticing, a sly smirk began to creep up his face. “Gosh, the whole Kingdom of Monsters might be in trouble, really.”

Frisk noticeably paled. “I- I didn’t think of it like that…”

Ugh, Asriel you idiot. Why would you say something like that? He mentally berated himself, immediately remorseful. The worst thing was, he knew why he had said it; part of him wanted to see that face of shocked dismay, to see the rug pulled out from under Frisk’s feet. Knowing that only made him feel worse…

He tried his best to fix things, attempting an easy laugh. “Hah, you totally fell for it! There’s no way it’s up to us; Dad, Mom, and Papyrus have got the bigger jobs, for sure. Worst thing we can do is maybe ruffle a few feathers, but they’re not going to hate monsters if a couple of kids talk back to them.”

Frisk glared back at him. “That was one of your worst pranks yet, you know. You almost gave me a heart attack!”

“I am inclined to agree,” Chara joined in. “Frisk is under enough pressure as it is; they don’t need you to make it worse.”

Asriel looked towards the floor and gave a deep sigh. “Yeah, I know… That was pretty stupid. I guess I haven’t changed as much as I thought.”

This seemed to mollify Frisk, at least in part. “I mean, at least you realized it was stupid. You’d have just tried to twist the knife even more back as Flowey.” They seemed to consider this the end of the discussion. “So, are we gonna practice or what?”

Asriel took a deep breath. “Yeah. Want to go first?” When Frisk nodded, Asriel made his voice sound much older: deep and formal. “So you must be the child that helped bring monsters to the surface, is that right?”

Frisk gave a small smart at this sudden change, even though Asriel had done this trick before. It turned out that he really did have a talent for mimicking voices; he wasn’t sure if it was some remnant of being Flowey, or if it were a latent ability that he merely had to develop, but it was certainly coming in handy right now. He had quickly learned not to use it to repeat his mom’s voice back to her, however. She had not taken warmly to the first time he had done that, even if Conor had burst into intermittent fits of giggles for the rest of dinner.

Frisk recovered quickly from their surprise, answering, “Yep! It wasn’t just me, though; the monsters themselves had a big part in it!”

Asriel nodded sagely. “Of course, of course. You must have been quite impressed by them, if you chose to speak on their behalf.”

Frisk seemed entirely in their element. “Yeah, I was! It was absolutely awful what happened to them – we humans have got a lot to answer for, you know – but they were doing their best down there. They had cities, and schools, and public transportation – psst! Does the River Person count?”

Asriel thought for a moment, then nodded, answering the question in his normal voice. “Yeah, I think so. The Hotland elevators probably do, too… sort of.” He thought of all the puzzles scattered throughout the Underground. “I mean, you never claimed it was efficient transportation.”

Frisk laughed at that. “Hah! Yeah.” They then went back to their ‘answer.’ “Anyway, they’re a lot like us, really. That’s what I saw when I was down there, and that’s what you’ve all gotta see now. They deserve a home: a place they can call their own that they feel safe.”

Asriel continued the practice questions, returning to his deeper-voiced persona. “And what about the five humans that disappeared on the slopes of Mt. Ebott before you and Conor? Did they fall into the Underground as well?”

Frisk went pale once more. “Er… I… I don’t know how to answer that one.”

Asriel considered for a moment, but it was Chara that piped up with a suggestion. “Hopefully they won’t ask a kid that… but if they do, you can honestly say that all of that was long before you were even born.”

Asriel nodded. “That’s a good point. If they ask us any tough questions, we can always say we’re just kids. I know Mom and Dad have been dealing with that sort of thing for a while, so I bet they’ve already got some good answers.”

“Yes,” Chara added. “Remember that you are assisting, Frisk. You are not solely responsible for representing monsters to humanity. Do not take more on your shoulders than you must; I know well the price of doing so.”

Some of the colour returned to Frisk’s cheeks. “OK…”

Asriel took pity on them. “Want to ask me some questions for a bit?”

Frisk nodded, clearly relieved. “Yeah, sure! After all that, I’ve got some tough ones planned, too, juuuust for you.”

Hah! I probably deserve that, Asriel thought to himself.

The two of them went back and forth, with Chara chiming in to assist every now and again, until they both felt a lot more sure of themselves. All-in-all, it was a productive afternoon, and Asriel felt quite confident as he walked back home for dinner.

MK must have left earlier, since Conor was already in the kitchen helping Mom cook; he honestly seemed to enjoy it, which Asriel would never understand. He was glad he could eat food now, sure, but having to prepare it just seemed like a chore. Spaghetti was the meal of choice for tonight, which only served to remind Asriel of Papyrus.

I haven’t toyed with him in a while. I bet there are so many more things I can trick him into doing now we’re on the surface. Hearing these thoughts in his own head, Asriel briefly choked on his pasta, causing Toriel and Conor to look up from their own dinners in concern. After a few more spluttered coughs, he managed to raise a paw to indicate he was fine. What is wrong with me? I don’t want to do that anymore.

I don’t.

I don’t…

After a few more mouthfuls, Toriel tried to break the gloomy silence. “How was school today, you two? Did you learn anything interesting?”

Frisk and Conor got reminded of how many times I’d killed them, Asriel thought morosely. Does that count?

Out loud, he said, “We learned about plants in science class, but I’ve kind of already had first-hand experience with that sort of thing.”

Now it was Toriel’s turn to almost choke on her food, managing to say after a few coughs, “Ah, yes. Of course…”

The rest of the dinner passed in silence, with Conor dashing upstairs the moment he was done. Asriel finished eating not long after, but he lingered at the table for a while, Toriel studying him in concern.

“Is everything alright between you two?” she inquired. “You have both seemed quite… distant, the past couple of days.”

Asriel rubbed the back of his neck. “We had a bit of a fight, that’s all. We don’t have to get along all the time you know.”

Toriel gave him a level stare. “Indeed. However, I also know that the two of you tend to reconcile within a day, if not within an hour.”

“Maybe… maybe I’ll try now,” Asriel offered. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to bring up the actual subject of their conflict, but he did want to feel like the two of them could talk again.

“That is very generous of you,” Toriel said with a smile. “It takes a wise and mature monster to be the first to reach out in such a situation.”

It takes strength to reach out despite the pain… Asriel recalled his earlier thought. He then added, Or to ask for help, despite your pride and fear…

Everything felt a lot clearer, now. “Thanks, Mom!” he called back as he rushed upstairs, certain that this was the right decision.

At the top of the stairs, Asriel turned the corner into the room he shared with Conor. Stepping inside, he spotted his brother at his desk with a pair of thick textbooks in front of him, a constantly-shifting mote of flame above his upturned palm.

Asriel knocked sheepishly on the doorframe. “Howdy! … Is the doctor in?”

Conor looked up from his studying. “Oh, hey Az!” He quickly dismissed the fire and pushed the books aside, then turned the chair around to face Asriel. “If you want to talk, of course I can!”

Asriel blinked. Was it really that easy? “What? No barbed comments on how I acted? No gloating about how I’m here, crawling back?” That’s what I would have done, he added mentally, then corrected himself. Or, at least, what I would have done before…

Conor crossed his arms and stared at Asriel. “That depends on you. Do you want to bring up all that stuff again? Try and convince me to stop?”

Asriel closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “… Not at the moment, no.”

Conor brightened up. “Well, that’s okay, then. So, what did you want to talk about?” His mood quickly sobered again. “But… you know you really ought to see an actual therapist sometime, right? I don’t think I even count as one in training.”

Asriel shuffled guiltily. How was he supposed to tell any of this stuff to some stranger? And they definitely couldn’t be a human, since the taking of Souls was a subject everyone was trying to avoid with people on the surface. After all, how could anyone maintain confidentiality after hearing about the ‘threat’ monsters posed to humanity?

“I think you’re doing great,” he eventually said. Conor raised an eyebrow in skepticism, but did not argue the point. “Anyway…” Asriel moved to sit down on his bed. Now that he was here, he found it a little hard to begin; he clasped his paws and stared down at the floor.

Conor sat there quietly, seemingly confident that Asriel would start talking when he was ready. Eventually, Asriel took a deep breath and asked with a quavering voice, “I’m… I’m not getting any better, am I?”

Of course I’m not! How could I, when I know that’s the real me? Flowey wasn’t a mask; he was me with the mask removed!! I sit here pretending to be some innocent kid when there’s no way I could be anything like that ever again.

Asriel always hated these thoughts… but that never stopped them from coming.

Conor regarded him with sheer confusion. “What!? What are you talking about?? You’ve already gotten WAY better! I mean, just think about at school today. Would you have cared a couple months ago if Frisk or I felt hurt?”

A couple months ago… When everyone was still in the Underground…

Asriel shook his head. “No… But even today, I did think you were both being weak and pathetic. I mean, I’m not sure if I agree with that, but I still thought it…” He returned to staring at the floor. “And I know I’m just as pathetic, trying to be something I’m not.”

Conor tilted his head. “And what’s that? The thing you’re not?”

“Innocent.”

Conor winced. “Okay, I guess that’s something that’s hard to go back to. But, it doesn’t change that you’re still a good person. What you did was terrible, but… but you’re not locked into repeating any of that stuff.”

“Then why do I keep thinking about doing it again? Why does part of me want to??” Asriel cried out plaintively.

Conor gasped. “So that’s it! I think… I think I saw something about that.” He took out his phone and searched through it. “Hm… I think this is it… Yeah, that sounds right!” He looked back up at Asriel. “Have you ever heard of mindfulness?” When Asriel shook his head, Conor explained, “I think it’s based on the idea of… well, taking a step back and sort of… observing yourself. If you pay attention to your own thoughts and feelings, you can sort of distance yourself from them a bit.” Conor must have decided his ‘lecture’ was getting a bit dry, so he tried to summarize, “I mean, the big takeaway is one key thing: you are NOT your thoughts.”

Asriel didn’t follow. “But I’m the one doing the thinking.” He desperately wanted to add, ‘or at least Flowey is,’ but it sounded like a cheap cop-out, even in his head. That was just another name he’d taken for himself, after all.

Conor slowly shook his head. “I don’t think it’s quite that simple… I’m pretty sure brains are waaaay more complicated than that. Um…” He seemed intent on thinking of a good example, before his face lit up with an idea. “Oh! You know that new ad Mettaton’s got out for his surface resort? The one with the annoyingly catchy song?”

Asriel panicked. “NO! Don’t talk about it! I won’t be able to get it out of my head for hours!” No no no… he could hear the beginning notes in his mind already. How could Conor betray him like that?

Conor’s expression became deeply apologetic. “Sorry… but this is for a good cause, really! So, you’re already starting to hear it, right? Does that mean you love it? Does that mean you’re obsessed with Mettaton or his hotel?”

“Of course not!” Asriel objected hotly.

One side of Conor’s mouth began to creep upwards. “But they’re your thoughts, right? I mean, the song’s playing in your head, after all.”

“I…” Asriel began, then stopped. That was… a good point.

Now the other side of Conor’s mouth started to rise, completing the smile. “I remember someone I was following online said those kinds of thoughts are like an itch or something. You don’t choose for your nose to itch, right?”

Asriel began to feel a tingle at the end of his nose, but stubbornly ignored it. First the song, now this? Is this supposed to be some sort of twisted torture session??

Noticing Asriel’s intent concentration, Conor’s grin only widened. “And yet, you can decide whether or not to scratch that itch, right? And that’s your choice.” He walked over and hugged Asriel tightly, speaking over his shoulder. “Whatever choice you make? THAT’S the REAL you. THAT’S the brother I love.”

Asriel felt his paws trembling behind Conor’s back. “H-hey. You… you really can be a sappy idiot sometimes, you know that?” He returned the hug with all his strength. “Thanks.”

Conor twisted within the hug to look Asriel in the eye. “You okay, Az? You’re sounding a little sappy, yourself.”

“Heh,” Asriel chuckled. “Guess you’re rubbing off on me.” After a little longer, he finally pulled away. “Anyway, you want to play anything?”

Conor shook his head. “I need to get back to studying. I’ve got that big magic test tomorrow. If I do really well, maybe I can go up another grade; you know, catch up a little closer to you.”

Asriel felt both his eyebrows shoot up. “You’d really rather study?? How old are you supposed to be, again?”

Conor broke eye contact. “You know why I want to get better at magic…”

There it was: the subject they’d been dancing around. Well, maybe they could avoid it just that little bit longer. “Fine,” Asriel replied, trying to sound calm. “Well, I’ll be downstairs if you change your mind.”

“I’ll come down when I’m done,” Conor assured him.

However, Conor did not join Asriel downstairs for the rest of the evening. Asriel only saw him again when Mom called them both to get ready for bed. Conor was first into the bathroom, dashing back to the bedroom after he was finished. Once Asriel had finished his own nighttime preparations, he came back into his room to find Conor sitting at his small desk again. He was poring over the same two books (though different sections), checking back and forth between them.

“C’mon, Conor!” Asriel groaned. “It’s late, I’m tired, and tomorrow’s kind of important, so can’t you just go to bed?”

Conor turned around to look at his brother. “Sorry, Az, but there’s just this one last problem, and I’m so close. I know it! There was definitely something in here-” He rested his hand on the left book. “-connected to this line here.” He pointed at a passage in the right book. “I think I can solve this last magic puzzle if I…” He yawned loudly. “… if I can put them together.”

Asriel rolled his eyes. “Golly, that’s great and all, but I really don’t want you snoring next to me in class all day tomorrow. You’d better get to bed, or I’ll have to tell Mom you’re still up.” Toriel was quite strict on bedtimes, so the threat carried some weight behind it.

Conor began to plead frantically. “Wait! It won’t even help! You know I won’t be able to sleep with this bugging me! You can have the lights off and everything; I’ll use my reading light, and I’ll be super-quiet.” He snuffed out the lamp and lit a small mote of fire in his palm, then turned back to the books.

Ugh! Why did Conor have to be so stubborn? Was he just completely incapable of taking care of himself? Well, he can keep doing that if he wants, Asriel thought. He’ll be the one suffering tomorrow, not me.

Asriel paused for a moment. No. This is MY choice.

He approached the desk, though couldn't help a sigh escaping his lips as he said, “If it’ll get you done faster, I can help.” He stepped to look over Conor’s shoulder, casually re-igniting the lamp with his own rainbow flame. “Now, what’s the passage? I bet I’ve read these all a hundred times, anyway, so this should go quick.”

Though he couldn’t see it from his angle, Asriel could feel Conor’s surprised smile. “Thanks, Az…” He dismissed his silver firelight and pointed to the same line as before. “It’s this one here, see?”

It took another half an hour to fully solve the puzzle… but Asriel considered it worth every minute.

Chapter Text

It was early evening on the following day, and Asriel was fitting himself into his ceremonial royal robes. They were a little old-fashioned, but there was also something comforting and familiar about them; he’d had to don them many times before for public appearances Underground, and they always made him feel a little wiser and more grown-up. Perhaps that was why he had always imagined ‘The Absolute God of Hyperdeath’ wearing them: a powerful adult who could do anything he wanted.

…

Well, everyone knew how that one had turned out…

“Where’s Frisk?” he asked his mom, who was fussing over him and making small adjustments to his clothing. “They’re going to be late if they’re not careful.”

“I believe they are still deciding on what to wear, but I am certain they will be here soon,” Toriel replied. “Now, please hold still; you have some dirt on your face.” She pulled out a handkerchief and spat into it, rubbing Asriel’s cheek. “I am glad you had time for your game with the others this afternoon, but I do wish it did not have to get so physical.”

Asriel squirmed in his mother’s grasp, but her iron grip held him firm. “It could’ve been worse,” he answered teasingly. “I could have worn this outfit for it!”

Toriel stood back to examine him for any other signs of disarray. “Yes; there is a reason I always run a wash on Thursdays. What on earth happened this time? Did you slide right into the mud and grass?”

“I had to get the goal somehow!” Asriel responded, beaming with pride. “It was the winning point!”

Toriel merely let out a deep sigh.

A ring of the doorbell interrupted any further discussion. “That must be Frisk!” Asriel declared happily, running over to answer it. He was correct; Frisk stood in the entryway, wearing a knee-length pale pink-purple dress with a faint blue floral pattern – almost the inverse of their striped outfit in the Underground. “Hey Frisk!” Asriel greeted them. “You finally settled on something, then?”

Frisk nodded. “Yeah. I had some trouble, but then I remembered Mettaton would be there, and I don’t want him showing me up after that awesome blue dress of his last time!” They gave a little twirl, then looked over Asriel’s outfit. “Hey, you look a bit like the Absolute God of-”

“I know,” Asriel interrupted firmly. As if he needed any more reminders of what he had done.

Though she didn’t hear the conversation, Toriel did seem to notice Asriel’s now-hunched posture. “I think those robes look quite good on you,” she stated fondly, walking up close to Asriel. She then looked down at her own clothing with a smile. “Though I may be biased, of course.” She turned to Frisk. “Greetings, Frisk. Are you ready, then?”

Frisk nodded, only looking faintly nervous. “As ready as I’m gonna be, yeah.”

She put a reassuring paw on their shoulder, and another on Asriel’s. “I know this may be somewhat intimidating for both of you. Please take the opportunity to enjoy yourselves, and focus more on the food, drink, and music. Leave the politics and other discussions to Asgore and myself.”

Asriel raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think we can just avoid people coming and talking to us.”

“Of course. You are heroes of the Underground, after all, and both humans and monsters know that. Still, if anyone makes you uncomfortable, come straight to me.” Her expression and voice both became surprisingly stern. “If they wish to interrogate a child, then I will swiftly set them right.”

Asriel turned around at the sound of footsteps behind him, spotting Conor slowly descending the stairs. Toriel must have heard this, too, as she quickly moved to face him. “Are you sure you will be alright, my child?” she asked. “I should text Sans and see if he can come over; I am certain that he would be free.”

Asriel struggled to think of anyone with more free time than Sans… even despite all his jobs.

“Mom!” Conor objected. “I don’t need a babysitter! I had to be alone sometimes back in the Ruins, right? And I was okay there.”

“That is true…” Toriel acquiesced. “Well, do not forget that you can heat up the leftovers from yesterday for dinner, and I saved a slice of chocolate cake for dessert – we will be having plenty of our own, after all.” She then wagged a digit at him in warning. “Just do not stay up too late, and no parties while we are out.”

Asriel couldn’t help but laugh at this. “Hah! Mom, you know Conor wouldn’t hold a party if we asked him to!” Conor stick his tongue out at this, which only caused Asriel’s grin to widen.

Toriel sighed. “I know. Forgive an old woman her worrying.” She placed a paw on Conor’s shoulder. “Please be good.”

Reflecting her demeanor, Conor nodded solemnly. “I will, Mom.”

Confidence restored, Toriel ushered Frisk and Asriel out to her car. “Then let us be off.”

They reached the large grand hall half an hour early, and some last-minute setting up of tables and decorations was still underway. Asgore was already there, with a few monster administrators checking his opinion on a few minor details; when they arrived, Toriel quickly went over to join him, and the two worked on sorting out any final complications. Mettaton was directing the finishing touches on the stage for the evening’s entertainment, while Frisk had rushed over to talk to Papyrus the moment they spotted him, leaving Asriel alone to wander the hall.

The event was being held in Mettaton’s recently-built resort complex, as an example of ‘monsterkind and humanity, united in entrepreneurial spirit.’ The declaration seemed a bit of a stretch, but any sort of common ground to be found between the two species was definitely of mutual benefit. Looking around at the interior, Asriel had to admit that it was surprisingly tasteful in its decoration, with warm wooden flooring, delicate chandeliers, and red carpet in the entryway. Banners in royal purple bearing the Delta Rune in gold – the symbol of the Kingdom of Monsters – hung from the walls, alternating with ones representing humanity to show the two species side-by-side. This space – the grand hall – was the focus of the party, providing a large open space for guests to mix and mingle, tables heaped with monster and human food and drink for the opening banquet, and even a large outdoor balcony overlooking nearby Ebott Lake (Asriel could appreciate the straightforwardness of the local naming scheme).

Topping off the décor was a large statue of Mettaton in his humanoid EX form, held up by himself in his box form and gracefully shooting water out of his mouth straight into the air. It was… well, it was certainly expertly crafted, if more than a little self-indulgent.

Gosh, Asriel thought on seeing it. How in love with yourself do you have to be to have a statue with two versions of you on it? Looking more closely near the base, a large plaque read: “Dedicated to dear Alphys, who made all of me possible.” Huh, I guess he does care a bit, Asriel amended. Though I notice she isn’t part of the actual statue.

Alphys…

Asriel still wasn’t sure how he felt about the Royal Scientist. As Flowey, he had easily rooted out (ergh! He had not intended a plant pun) her deepest secrets, finding her guilt amusing and easy to manipulate. Now…? Now, guilt was very much something they had in common.

Similarly, he had discovered the secret behind his ‘resurrection’ innumerable timelines ago, but that was an even thornier (agh! Not again!) issue. He was thankful to her for bringing him back, but not for bringing him back as… THAT. He knew there was no way she could have given him a Soul, and that his emptiness came partly from his trauma – from everything he had been through. However, in a way, it was the Determination that had broken him more: the ability to just… Reset everything, like nothing had ever happened. It made it so easy to treat the world like a game, where no one mattered and there were no real consequences to his actions. He was still working to break the habits developed during that experience, and he knew he would be trying for a long time to come.

… Yes, it was probably for the best that Alphys wasn’t here tonight.

Asriel was still ruminating in front of the statue when his parents found him. Asgore clasped his paws on Asriel’s shoulders, inquiring gently, “Are you ready, son?”

Asriel shrugged. “About as ready as I’m going to be, yeah.”

Asgore seemed to notice his tone, as he knelt down in front of Asriel and offered, “Think of this as simply a chance to show that human children are remarkably similar to monster children, including those of the royal family.”

Asriel scowled. “Really, Dad? After everything I’ve done?”

Toriel hovered closer, clearly trying to think of something to say to reassure her son, but it was Asgore that spoke first, his voice low and quiet. “We have all done things we regret…”

However, before anything else could be said, a young adult dog monster nervously approached. She resembled a golden retriever in general head shape and fur colour, though not in her attitude, which was unusually serious and nervous (at least compared to most other dog monsters Asriel had met).

“Y-your Majesties!” she practically squeaked. “The guests are starting to arrive!”

Toriel gave her a reassuring smile. “Thank you, Aurelei.” She turned to Asriel and Asgore. “I believe we should go and meet them. We are technically the hosts, after all, even if this structure itself belongs to Mettaton.”

Asgore chuckled once more. “Oho, he’s probably taken a break from preparing the entertainment to welcome them himself.”

“Yes!” Aurelei informed them. “He- he’s already out there now.”

Asgore smiled and winked. “We can’t let him steal all the glory, now can we?”

Together, the three royals – alongside Mettaton and Frisk – greeted the incoming visitors. Asriel spent most of the time self-consciously skulking near his parents, trying to avoid notice without actively showing disinterest. Even Frisk was a bit shyer than usual, likely because all the guests were adults. They stuck close to Asriel, the two of them finding refuge in their shared youth against this rising tide of grown-ups.

Trying to avoid eye contact, Asriel cast his gaze around the other parts of the hall. While doing so, he managed to catch a couple of glimpses of Undyne, though she was busy coordinating security between the Royal Guard and their human counterparts. Asriel couldn’t help but grin when he saw them together; Undyne looked rather incongruous with her heavy plate armour and intimidating helmet against the dark suits and sunglasses of the security detail, but she was still managing to run rings around them (sometimes literally), pointing out numerous openings in their patrol patterns.

During a gap in the guests, Asgore leaned over to Toriel and whispered, “(I do hope Conor can make it next time.)”

“(He kept insisting we wait until everything is official regarding his status,)” Toriel softly replied. “(It does make some sense, but I am certain he has another reason.)”

Well, I’m pretty sure he hates big crowds, Asriel considered. I can’t blame him; I mean, if I had a good excuse, I’d try and stay home, too.

To be honest, Asriel had his own reason to dislike events like these. He didn’t particularly want to be thrown in the spotlight; he’d greatly prefer to keep to himself as much as he could. After all, he still found it uncomfortable to be around other monsters, knowing what he had done to… well, just about all of them. He didn’t feel much better around humans, either. Sure, he’d only hurt two humans, Conor and Frisk – no, wait; he hadn’t been particularly kind to the five human Souls, either – but seeing any others sometimes brought back flashes of that night… when he had died at their hands. It wasn’t that he blamed these humans, necessarily, but that didn’t make the memories any less painful.

Eventually, the arrivals wound down and everyone was summoned to a feast at the banquet tables. It seemed that the meal would be accompanied by music, as Napstablook and Shyren on stage provided gentle and soothing background notes. It also appeared that the seating had been specifically pre-arranged, and Asriel and Frisk found their places set a little ways away from the king and queen (though still easily close enough for Toriel to keep an eye on them).

“What? Why are we over here?” Frisk grumbled as they took their seat.

“I think it’s a working dinner for Mom and Dad,” Asriel explained, sitting down next to them. “They’re probably using it to go over some stuff with a few of the guests.”

Frisk sighed. “I could have helped, too… They’re treating us like we’re just kids!”

Asriel felt his ears twitch in confusion. “Isn’t that what you wanted?”

“Sort of, but I’m also an official ambassadorial assistant! I still want to do what I can!”

Fortunately, Frisk’s concerns didn’t seem to stop them from enjoying the meal, which – as a further show of unity – was a mixture of human and monster food. Asriel still preferred monster cooking, but he had to admit that the human food being served did seem very appetizing. The meals were a tantalizing display of different cultures and culinary styles, and he found he didn’t recognize most of what was on the plates.

Fortunately, Frisk was happy to tell him about the ones they knew, and Asriel learned several new words over the duration of the main course alone. When the dessert arrived, Asriel found himself presented with a choice between apple pie, tiramisu, and mango sticky rice.

Since he actually knew all the options, he took the opportunity to ask something… not of Frisk, but of the other human technically in the same seat. He leaned over to whisper, “(Hey, Chara. I know you can’t really talk here, but are you OK?)”

Frisk seemed to pause for a moment, then whispered back, “(They say they’re fine. All this stuff being ‘second-hand’ for them makes it not so bad. They’re more worried about us, really.)”

Before Asriel could reply, he heard a loud voice cry out, “If it isn’t two of my favourite fans!” Mettaton was striding over with a broad smile on his face. He scanned over the two of them, focusing on Frisk and their outfit. “My, my, darling. I didn’t realize I was quite such an inspiration for you from my performance back in the Underground!”

Frisk gave a sly smirk. “What makes you think you had anything to do with it?”

“Oh, gorgeous, I just have a sense for these things, you know! Either way, you do look rather fabulous! Though, it could always do with a little extra magic.” With a wave of his hand, glittering magical dust settled on Frisk’s dress, temporarily making it sparkle and shine. “To give it some glitz and glamour!”

Frisk casually brushed the magic off with one hand. “Thanks, Mettaton, but I think it’s better like this. I’d hate to out-shine the star of the Underground!”

Mettaton chuckled. “Ohoho, I wouldn’t worry about that. Still, you are correct; no glittering ornamentation could compete with your already-sparkling wit.” He turned towards Asriel. “Ah, and the young prince! I hope you have reconsidered my suggestion for a thrilling tell-all interview. You could give everyone the true story they’ve been waiting for!”

Asriel sighed; he had no desire to relive any of those past events. “The answer’s still no, Mettaton.”

Mettaton didn’t seem too surprised or put-out by this answer. “A pity; ah well. I do hope you two are enjoying yourselves, at least.”

Asriel shrugged. “I mean, the food’s pretty good; though Mom’s is still better.”

However, Mettaton didn’t seem to catch this response, as he appeared distracted by another guest further down the table.

“Yes, that’s excellent. Alas, I must be off! I hope you two enjoy the rest of your evening.”

Why’d he even bother asking?? Asriel wondered.

After dessert was finished, people got up from their tables and started to fall into groups to continue their discussions. The music from the stage livened up as well, Shyren’s singing becoming a little boppier to match Napstablook’s more energetic beat.

Frisk cocked their ear from next to Asriel, commenting, “Shyren’s gotten even better since the Underground!” They then nodded sagely. “Conor and I were her first bandmates, you know.”

Asriel chuckled. “Heh. Oh, I know. I was following you, remember? And those caves in Waterfall have some really good acoustics; I could hear you from way down the tunnels!” A smirk began to cross his features. “But if I remember correctly, the group fell apart pretty quickly.”

Frisk raised their chin in mock indignation. “We’d gone so far together, but it was time to go our separate ways. We all had our own solo careers to pursue!” They couldn’t keep a straight face to the end, though, and the two of them burst into fits of laughter.

They began to walk through the hall together, but a sudden surge of the crowd separated the two of them, and Asriel found himself surrounded by unfamiliar humans and monsters. He seemed to catch the attention of one of the humans – a middle-aged woman with a friendly smile and threads of grey in her bright red hair – who approached him and asked, “You’re Prince Asriel, aren’t you?”

Still slightly dazed by the rush of people, he simply nodded in response.

“I must thank you and everyone else for holding such a wonderful event. We’ve certainly seen that if monsters can do one thing, it is host a party!”

Ah, yes. This was ‘small talk,’ right? A little bit of near-meaningless chatter to start a conversation and build a rapport between two people. He was pretty sure he could manage that.

“Well, yeah. I mean, we’re basically still celebrating getting out of the Underground. It was something like a thousand years down there, so we’ll be partying for a while.”

At the mention of the Underground, her eyes softened. “Ah yes, that prison for an entire species…”

Huh. Asriel hadn’t expected any other humans to be so sympathetic, though maybe he should have after both Frisk and Conor. Even Chara had felt the plight of monsters keenly… perhaps too strongly…

Lost in these thoughts, he almost didn’t notice as the woman tried to lighten the tone. “At least you’re out now, and that is definitely a cause to celebrate. So, what do you think of the surface so far? It must have come as quite the shock after all that time underground!”

Well, Asriel couldn’t exactly tell her that he had been to the surface once before, about a hundred years ago. However, he was pretty sure he could still manage what was technically the truth.

“The first time I saw the sun,” he admitted, “I couldn’t believe that it was real. How could anything be so bright? My favourite part is just all the weather, though. From warm sunshine to a rainy day, from a glittering night sky to a loud thunderstorm with super-bright lightning! It was just the same thing every day underground.” Now, he couldn’t resist throwing in a little double-meaning. “I didn’t know what to expect from humanity when I first came up. It felt like anything could happen.” He then looked around at the mixed crowd. “Looks like it turned out OK, though.”

The woman laughed brightly. “It certainly has! To think, you were all under that mountain this whole time…” She raised her glass of champagne in a sort of toast. “Consider this your official welcome to the surface!”

Asriel wasn’t exactly sure how to respond, but he knew he ought to be polite. “Um… thanks. It’s… er… nice to be here.”

This seemed to satisfy her, as she nodded benevolently at him and walked off to find more people to talk to.

Well, that went OK, Asriel thought to himself. Maybe this won’t be so bad after all…

With some of his fears eased, his curiosity led him to wander around on his own and see what sort of conversations were happening. He first came across his Mom and Dad, talking together to what looked like some pretty important humans. While the two of them still had their differences, they were presenting a united front here; they both knew the importance of representing monsters properly.

“Well, we do have excess energy being generated by the Core,” Asgore was explaining to one of the humans.

Toriel continued, “However, we will almost certainly require it for further construction for our people. Perhaps we could spare some… but a trade may be more beneficial to both parties.”

Yep. Looked like his parents were handling the adult stuff. Having no interest himself, he decided to keep exploring the hall. Looking around, he gave a start when he happened to glance up and spot Undyne on one of the chandeliers, keeping a watchful eye on proceedings from above. How had she even managed to get up there??? He was tempted to wave and call out to her, but figured she wouldn’t appreciate that while on duty.

Asriel next saw Papyrus, who was animatedly describing life underground. “well, i lived in snowdin, so it was mostly cold and white, but everyone had such a festive spirit! you should see our tree with presents from santa!!”

“Oh, so monsters have Christmas as well?” one human was asking.

“Wait, you have snow underground???” another baffled human inquired.

Asriel chuckled to himself, but kept going. He still felt rather guilty whenever he saw Papyrus, which made it hard to approach the skeleton. He knew he’d have to muster the courage someday, but not today; not with all these people around.

Still searching, Asriel eventually stumbled upon Frisk again; they were surrounded by a group of delegates from other countries, passionately explaining to them what they liked about monsters. The other humans were impressed by the seemingly-spontaneous eloquence of this kid, but Asriel remembered them practicing in front of the mirror the prior evening, trying to sound as natural as possible. After all, while they were quick with a quip or a joke, a longer speech went better with preparation. Still, they had a knack for knowing the right word or phrase to add on the spot to make the entire discussion sound effortless.

As he approached, he started hearing Frisk’s side of the conversation. “Some of them may look a bit scary or weird, but they’re really just… people, like you and me. They have their own hopes and fears, their own dreams and nightmares, and they just want to live in peace on the surface after being stuck underground for so long.”

A younger man with dark skin and darker hair inquired, “How did they all break through that barrier, anyway? Every monster I’ve asked has been quite hesitant to tell me.” There it was. The question that Frisk had spent the most time practicing for, trying their best to make the response sound natural and genuine.

Frisk ‘pondered’ the question for a few seconds. “Well, you know monsters are mostly made of magic, right? So, their emotions, their intentions, their hopes, all that stuff can have a special power if brought together. Well, Prince Asriel managed to channel the strength of all the monsters in the Underground – their hearts all beating as one with the fervent desire for freedom – but even that wasn’t enough by itself. He needed to combine that with strength from humans – with power and determination from me and Conor – for it to be enough to break the barrier.” They gave a winning smile. “That’s why it took so long for them to get out!”

“Ah, yes, Conor…” another delegate responded, an elderly gentleman with pale skin, grey hair, and the appearance of a permanent scowl on his features. “He is the child that disappeared two years ago, is that correct? The one the monster royal family has ‘adopted?’”

Asriel could hear the quotation marks around the word. What right did this human have to judge if they were a real family?

The man continued, “Why could he not make it tonight?”

Maybe he didn’t want to be poked and prodded like some defective machine, wondering what went wrong with it, Asriel mentally retorted. That’s what you think he is, don’t you? For wanting to stay with monsters over humans? Asriel simmered in frustration, but continued to listen to the conversation. The crowd ebbed and flowed around him, but he barely noticed, trying to pay attention to what was being said.

Frisk gave a conspiratorial smirk and leaned closer as though sharing a secret. “Well, don’t tell anyone, but he’s a bit behind on his homework, and school matters a lot to him. He’s got an assignment due tomorrow, and I told him I’d be OK alone tonight. I’m sure he’ll be here next time!” Asriel knew Frisk considered themself to be poor at handling humans, but he thought they were being quite charming. Perhaps what they’d really needed was a self-confidence boost from their time in the Underground.

“Hm, a pity,” the same delegate responded. “I’ve heard that he’s gone completely native – even starting to act like a monster, himself. He would certainly offer an… interesting perspective.” It was clear from his tone that ‘interesting’ was the most polite word he could use in this situation.

Asriel felt his hackles rise. Maybe your screams would provide an ‘interesting’ perspective on how it feels to be torn into shreds. It’d be more entertaining than listening to your veiled insults, at least. He was clenching his paws into fists, until he noticed small vines of rainbow magic forming near the foot of the delegate. The sight snapped him out of his brooding. No! That’s NOT me! Or, it doesn’t have to be… The vines dissipated instantly, with no evidence they had ever been there; Asriel only hoped that no one else had seen them.

For Frisk’s part, their smile froze on their face at hearing the comment, but they quickly recovered. “Well, I’ll be sure to tell him he was missed.” They turned to another delegate – an older woman with olive skin and dark brown hair – and tried to steer the conversation away. “We were talking about monsters, though, right?” This was the last Asriel heard, as he quickly retreated to the edge of the room to get some breathing space.

Just… just observe what you’re thinking, he told himself once he was alone, pairing the statements with deep breaths. You don’t have to act on these thoughts, no matter how tempting; it’s your choice. Just let them pass, like watching a river flowing in front of you.

He was still trying to calm himself down when Papyrus stepped out of the crowd in his direction. Papyrus had been taking his role as a mascot for monsterkind very seriously, replacing his usual battle body with a ‘peace body’ he wore to this and other diplomatic functions. Still, echoes of his other outfit remained, from the pure white of the tuxedo suit itself to the flamboyant red-orange shirt underneath to the golden tie that completed the ensemble. However, it was the concerned expression Papyrus bore that was currently drawing Asriel’s attention.

“prince asriel! are you alright?”

“Oh… Yeah, I’m fine,” Asriel lied. He was still rather good at that, after all…

“you have been avoiding me since we left the underground,” Papyrus said, his tone more of understanding than injury. “are you worried about giving me special treatment? i know we are friends from when you were a flower, but you do not have to show me any favouritism!”

‘Favouritism’ did seem the appropriate word; Asriel bitterly remembered that Papyrus had always been his ‘favourite’ to toy with. Mostly this had been the fun he had had in manipulating the skeleton; while there had been some genuine feelings there at the start, they were soon buried under innumerable Resets. Still, something about Papyrus’ optimism and relentless belief in everyone had affected him, even as Flowey… Now, while he desperately wanted to maintain that fragile friendship, he knew deep down that he didn’t deserve it.

While Asriel was struggling to come up with a response, Papyrus’ eyes gleamed with sudden understanding. “… or is it because of what you did as flowery- no wait, it was ‘flowey,’ right?”

Asriel winced. Papyrus had some keen insights at times. “Yeah, that was the name… And yeah, it was everything I did. Stuff you don’t even remember, since I just-”

“i think i overheard my brother mention something about that to frisk. some sort of ‘time anomaly.’”

Asriel gasped. So he knew?

Papyrus paused for a moment, then asked, “… in these other timelines… did i still trust you?”

Asriel stared at the floor. “Yeah…” That was what made it so fun at the time… and what made it hurt so much now.

However, Papyrus seemed to brighten at this news. “well then, if my other selves saw what you did and still believed in you, then how could i not do the same? after all…” He jutted out his chest and planted his arms on his sides. “the great papyrus is an excellent judge of character!”

Another person that believes I can do better… What do they all see, anyway? How can they all be so sure?

Asriel sighed. “I guess I can’t stop you, then.”

“i would be extremely impressed if you did!! you must come by to my house sometime! we could engage in japes and jollity, and i am certain you would enjoy it!” Papyrus then leaned closer to confess, “i am sorry, however. i must admit that i had to try very hard not to call you ‘flowey,’ since that is how i knew you.”

Asriel let out a soft gasp, followed by a shuddering sigh. “It’s… it’s OK, Papyrus. I spent so long as ‘Flowey,’ that sometimes, the name feels more real to me than ‘Asriel’… You can call me that… if you want.”

Papyrus examined Asriel intently. “and what would you prefer? surely that is what matters most!”

Asriel pondered the question. “Sometimes…” he explained, “It feels like ‘Asriel’ represents a past I can’t go back to… but at the same time, ‘Flowey’ is another name from my past… one I don’t particularly want to return to.” He sighed deeply. “I guess I just don’t know how I really see it…”

“well…” Papyrus responded reassuringly, “when you do decide, please let me know, and that is what i will call you. after all, that is what very cool friends are for! nyeh heh heh!”

Asriel gave a small laugh. “Heh. Thanks, Papyrus. I’ll do that.”

Papyrus cheerfully returned to the crowd, greeting one of the attendees warmly. Asriel soon headed back in as well, hoping to find Frisk again. Maybe they could answer some questions together for a while, instead of being split up.

…

The rest of the evening passed surprisingly smoothly, though Asriel felt exhausted by the end. When Toriel brought him home, she gently supported his ascent up the stairs to his bedroom. Conor seemed to be asleep, so he tried to be as quiet as he could when he changed out of his formal attire. However, when Toriel’s footsteps had died down, Conor quickly sat straight up in his bed.

“So, how’d it go?” he inquired eagerly.

Asriel inclined his head, bearing a faint smile. “Not too bad, actually. Especially once Frisk and I could stick together, though it’s a shame Chara can’t safely talk out loud there.” He took on a wheedling tone. “Still… it’d be even better with the four of us.”

Conor sighed. “First Frisk, and now you?” He then raised his arms in surrender. “… OK, OK! Fine, I’ll do it. But you’ve got to promise to stay close.” His eyes curved down in worry. “I don’t want to get lost…”

“That’s an easy deal,” Asriel agreed. “I already told you it was better when I wasn’t alone.”

“Alright…” Conor still sounded faintly skeptical.

“Anyway,” Asriel finished, fighting off a yawn, “it was also really tiring. Stay up if you want, but I’m going to sleep.”

Conor looked a little put out. “Aww. Fine… Night, Az.”

A little later, Asriel suddenly opened his eyes while lying in bed. Wait! He realized. I never told Papyrus if I would come visit him or not! However, he knew deep down that Papyrus had just assumed he would say yes…

And he also had a growing feeling that Papyrus might just be right.

Chapter Text

The bright light of an early autumn afternoon was flooding the meeting room as Asgore listened patiently to the points being made by his various advisors. The topic of discussion for today was the future of the Royal Guard. Asgore had initially wanted to disband them after the barrier was broken, since their purpose seemed superfluous, but arguments had been made that a transformation of their duties might be more appropriate.

“I don’t think it really needs to change much,” Undyne – still the captain of the Guard – argued in front of him and the other monsters. “Our main goal was always protecting monsters from humans, and we’ve still gotta keep ‘em all safe!”

Toriel stepped forward, her voice stern. “Would showing such distrust of humans truly aid our cause? Yesterday’s banquet was a demonstration of what brings our species together. Would this not throw away all that good will we have generated?”

“Maybe,” Undyne admitted, “but monsters have good reason to distrust humans! I know my history!” She pointed at both Asgore and Toriel, along with Gerson (who had semi-left retirement to offer his own wisdom and experience towards these discussions). “Hell, you three LIVED it!!” She immediately raised a hand to forestall the expected retort. “Now, Frisk and Conor are great – pretty awesome, even – and a lot of humans have been OK so far… but I don’t think every single one is gonna be lovey-dovey with monsters and happy we’re here and all. It’d help people feel a lot safer to know the Royal Guard is protecting them!”

Gerson slowly rose from his seat. “You’re right; we did live through it. And the honest truth is: if humans wanted to wipe us out again, there’s not much we could do to stop ‘em.” There was a long span of grim silence as all the monsters present took in these words; for Asgore, it was merely a reminder of the terrible events he had witnessed first-hand so many centuries ago.

However, Gerson was also the one that broke through the sombre gloom. “But that was still a concerted effort by humanity at large! I reckon things’ve already been goin’ a whole lot better so far.” He gestured vaguely towards Asgore, Toriel, and Papyrus. “Feels like as long as you three and the kiddos keep doing that diplomacizing thing, we’ve all got a pretty good shot. And I’d say the Royal Guard can handle the occasional nasty human or two, so long as they ain’t got any fancy superpowers like time travel or somethin’! Wa ha ha!”

Asgore tilted his head at Gerson’s words. He was reminded of when Frisk had grandly informed him that they had fought him before (and won!), even though it had felt like his first time… Glancing over, he noticed that Toriel also had a thoughtful look on her face. Had she been told something similar?

“i wholeheartedly agree! even i didn’t expect things to go quite so well up here!” Papyrus chimed in, his close friendship with Undyne and his current diplomatic role giving him plenty of relevant experience. “moreover, the royal guard is still very important!! it is a symbol to the people that the king cares about them and wants them to be safe!”

“A lotta monsters want to join, even on the surface,” Undyne reported, supporting Papyrus’ statement. “I’ve had to turn down tons of applicants, and I’ve STILL been getting so many new recruits that I have to spend all my time training those dorks how to fight!!”

“Perhaps it is not all that surprising…” Asgore spoke, his voice quiet and thoughtful. “Now that we have a future, they want to safeguard it…”

Toriel seemed to stare at him for a moment, looking almost faintly surprised. Eventually, she did speak. “… I will admit that protection is a noble pursuit. It is the ‘from humans’ aspect that I disagree with.” She blinked once and lifted her head, seemingly struck by a sudden thought. She looked around at the other gathered monsters, a clever smile beginning to form. “One of our primary goals is to reinforce the status of the Kingdom of Monsters as a sovereign nation, is it not?” Everyone nodded in assent. “Then I believe the purpose of the Royal Guard is clear: to protect the citizens of that nation, whomever they should be.”

They had already decided that humans who were willing to live by monsters’ laws could apply for citizenship (a certain ambassadorial assistant and adopted prince each acquiring it immediately, of course), so the reason for Toriel’s emphasis was clear.

She continued animatedly, “It would require reforms, certainly, but I believe those would have to be undertaken in any case. I highly doubt that it would increase the amount of paperwork involved, at least.” She turned to Undyne. “Would this suffice?”

Undyne brought a hand up to her chin. “Hm… It’ll feel weird protecting humans… but as long as we’re keeping them safe from meaner humans, I guess it’s OK.”

“And from monsters,” Toriel insisted. “Prejudice and hatred can run both ways, after all.” Asgore winced, suspecting she was thinking of his declaration against humanity back in the Underground… and of the strong support it had received.

Still, he found himself nodding slowly. “This sounds like a good idea to me. Does anyone else have any opinions? I may be the king, but I value all of your input.”

The other assembled monsters shook their heads, seemingly content with this course of action. “It’s decided, then!” Asgore smiled and nodded at Undyne and Gerson. “The Royal Guard will continue in this new role: the shields of the kingdom. I’m sure there will be plenty of minor points to determine, but we can bring those to the next meeting.”

The small dog monster next to him finished typing and closed up her laptop. “Th-that will be next Tuesday at two o’clock,” she informed the group. “That s-seems to work best with everyone’s schedules.”

Asgore smiled down at her. “Thank you, Aurelei.”

“Of course, Y-your Majesty!”

Asgore didn’t want to admit it out loud, but he was glad that this discussion had not taken too long to arrive at the best decision for his people. It was Friday, after all, so he would get to pick up Asriel and Conor from Tori’s after this. He always enjoyed spending time with his children… though it was perhaps a bit premature to consider Conor as such. He’d lived with Toriel for two years, yes, but he had only really been spending time with Asgore for this past month, and that was mostly during weekends. Still, he’d been surprisingly warm in his interactions, considering Asgore’s… prior deeds. Asriel had been supportive of them spending time together, too – probably wanting Conor and himself to share both parents.

And then there would be Frisk coming over late on Saturday to stay until Sunday afternoon. It was always more pleasant to engage with them outside of official functions, where they didn’t have to serve their role as an ambassadorial assistant. He enjoyed the time he could spend with the remarkable young human who had – together with Conor – won over so much of the Underground, even managing to pierce through the shadows enshrouding his own Soul. Furthermore, Frisk was such good friends with his children (there was that traitorous plural again, but he couldn’t help himself); the three seemed nearly inseparable.

He was shaken out of his thoughts by Undyne, who was the only other person that hadn’t yet left. “Hey, Asgore,” she began, sounding surprisingly nervous. “I was… well, I was wondering if you’d be willing to do something… for me… Please?”

Hm, that was certainly odd behaviour from the normally brash and bold Captain of the Guard. Asgore stood up from his seat and put a steadying paw on her shoulder. “Of course; name it! You are practically family, after all.” This was perhaps more true than Undyne knew; Undyne had lost her parents at a young age, so when she had approached him as a scrappy kid seeking to get stronger, it was almost inevitable that he would start to feel less like a mentor and more like a father.

There you go again, he told himself. Adopting people whether they want you to or not. Would Toriel chide him for it… or did she feel the same way? She had taken to Chara just as quickly as he had, all those years ago…

His words only seemed to make Undyne stammer more, her face going a faint pink. “It’s… well, it’s kind of got to do with that, I think…” She closed her good eye and screwed up her face. “NO! I can do this!!” She took a deep breath, then practically demanded, “ALPHYS AND I WANNA GET MARRIED. WOULD YOU DO IT? … Er, please?” The request made, she stared at him expectantly, still breathing heavily.

Asgore’s eyebrows shot up, and he felt a smile form on his face. “Ah, so you asked her, then? And she said yes?”

Undyne’s shoulders loosened at this, and she adopted a massive grin. “Yeah, she did!! I mean, I know you’re really busy, but I figured the KING totally had the power to marry people and all, and… well…” She briefly became surprisingly anxious again. “We just wanted to have the important people in our lives involved, you know? And you’re top of the list for me!”

Asgore was startled by the praise. “Oh! Well then, it would be my honour! Have you set a date for the wedding?”

Undyne shook her head. “Not yet. Alphys wants to have it in the spring – she’s a real romantic that way – but I don’t know if I can wait that long! So we’re, uh… still deciding that part.” She gave a slightly sheepish smile. “We’re starting by asking our friends for the different roles and stuff, for now. We’ve already got Frisk and Conor bringing our rings; Frisk for Alphys and Conor for me!”

Asgore examined Undyne curiously. “You have already asked them, then? I hope you aren’t assuming they will agree.”

“Of COURSE I asked!!” Undyne exclaimed defensively. “Right after our match! They needed a few minutes to catch their breath, first, but then they definitely said yes!”

Ah, yes. Asgore had forgotten about the weekly competition Frisk, Conor, Undyne, Papyrus, Asriel, and MK held – and Sans, too, though more in the role of an observer. The objectives changed every week, but it always involved a decent amount of Fighting and physical activity. Still, they all seemed to enjoy themselves, and no one got particularly hurt – nothing some good monster food couldn’t fix, at least. He would have to ask Asriel and Conor how this week’s match went when he saw them.

“Then please let me know when you have a date set, and I will do my best to be available.”

“You got it!” Undyne replied. She then cheerfully marched away, leaving Asgore alone in the room. He stared around for a moment before shaking his head to clear his thoughts. Yes, it was definitely time to head to Tori’s.

When he arrived at Toriel’s house and rang the doorbell, he found that Asriel and Conor were already packed and ready to go, Asriel calling out an excited, “Dad!” when he saw him.

Asgore picked them both up in a big bear hug, then gently set them down. “Are you two ready to go, then?” They both replied with cries of affirmation.

Asgore looked up from his two children (there he went again. It got harder to avoid each time, not easier) at Toriel, who was standing at the bottom of the stairs. She was watching the three of them, her expression completely inscrutable. It used to be that he could read that face like an open book; now, she always kept that tome firmly closed in his presence. She was hardly cruel or hostile – she was always quite cordial to him, in fact – just… distant.

“I will bring them back in time for Sunday dinner,” he solemnly promised, though it hardly needed to be said; he had done so every week so far.

She merely nodded in response, then angled her gaze towards her children. “Please enjoy yourselves,” she told them, “and please be good.”

Conor seemed to pick up on her tone, answering seriously, “We will, Mom.”

Asriel was slightly less formal. “Yeah, sure.”

The three of them headed to Asgore’s sky-blue pickup truck, Asriel and Conor dumping their bags on the back seats. A familiar scene then began to play, where Asriel suggested Conor sit in the front. “I’ve done it every time,” he argued. “It’s only fair you get a chance.”

Just like the previous times, Conor shook his head. “He’s your dad, so you should get to. I’m fine in the back.”

“Why don’t you two take turns?” Asgore suggested. Asriel and Conor both looked up at him like he was interrupting. Clearly, this was not a conversation for grown-ups to get involved in.

“I mean, that’s only what I’ve been saying this whole time, Dad,” Asriel explained, a note of exasperation in his voice; whether that was with Asgore or Conor was unclear.

However, while his back was turned, Conor had dashed to the truck, plopped himself firmly down on one of the back seats, and strapped his seatbelt in. Asriel groaned, “You’re impossible, you know that?” Conor merely sat smugly in place.

The drive back to Asgore’s home was not too long, since he was also in the new builds on the outskirts of Ebott City that had been apportioned towards Sun Home. His house was a similar size to Toriel’s, with no indication that it belonged to royalty of any sort. He even had a mix of monster and human neighbours, whom he had quickly gotten to know on a first-name basis; he did rather enjoy walking the neighbourhood and meeting new people.

When Asgore parked his truck in his drive, Conor and Asriel quickly hopped out of the seats, grabbing their bags with the small number of items they’d packed for the weekend. Smiling at their enthusiasm, he turned off the engine and unlocked the front door. The moment he did so, Asriel dashed past him to bring his own stuff up to his room; however, Conor lingered timidly inside the entryway. Hm, that was odd; he usually raced Asriel to the top of the stairs.

“Are you alright, Conor?” Asgore inquired, kneeling down next to him.

“Oh!” Conor appeared startled out of wherever his thoughts had taken him. “Um, I’m okay… I just…” He glanced behind them to check the front door was closed. “Could I… Could I use my new spell while I’m here? Please? It’s just an illusion, and I can’t do any other magic while it’s up, but…” His voice trailed off, and he looked up at Asgore hopefully, as though willing him to understand.

Asgore couldn’t really see why Conor was so agitated. “Of course! I’d love to see whatever new magic you’ve come up with.” His blue-and-orange eyes twinkled mirthfully. “You don’t have to ask my permission, you know.”

Conor hunched inwards. “Well, wait until you see it…” He then took a deep breath and brought out his Soul, muttering a phrase as he did so: “Shroud the Soul, and the body will follow.”

Asgore had to shield his eyes from the intense light that followed; when he brought his arm down again, a young boss monster stood in front of him, though with remarkably familiar hair and clothing. And those eyes… They were just like…

“Conor! Is that you??” Asgore felt his jaw open in shock. “What did you…? How did you…?”

The boss monster kid in front of him nodded, his shoulders tense. “Yeah, it’s me. I don’t know why it worked for me, but I… Well…” He hesitated for a moment longer, then lifted his chin and stared directly into Asgore’s eyes. “When I told you before that I wanted to be more like Mom and like you… I wasn’t joking.”

Asgore was still staring in bewilderment. “Why would you wish to bring yourself down to being like us?” he asked.

Conor’s cheeks went bright red. “There’s nothing ‘lesser’ about monsters!” he hotly objected. “It just feels right for me. Like… like it’s what I’m supposed to be. Or, at least, what I want to be…”

“Golly, I didn’t know you felt that strongly about it,” Asgore remarked. “What did your mother think when she saw it? She must have been impressed.”

Conor blushed faintly and turned away. “I haven’t shown her yet… She’d think I was trying to fit in – that she’d failed in making me feel loved enough as a human. I don’t want to hurt her like that.”

Asgore raised an eyebrow. “I’m sure she would understand if you explained it all. And you will have to tell her sometime.”

Conor winced. “I know… I just want to figure out the best way to do it, first.”

“Well, I am glad you felt comfortable enough to show me.”

Conor responded with surprising earnestness, “Of course! You’re basically-… er, I mean, you’ve been really nice to me. And I hoped it wouldn’t be a problem for you.” Asgore was confused by Conor’s hasty correction, but did not press the issue. Conor, though, began to deflate like a popped balloon, “Now if only I could make it actually real… I haven’t figured out anything that can do that yet.”

Asgore felt his eyes shoot wide open, but he mentally corrected himself, I suppose considering what he just said, it shouldn’t come as a surprise. Still, it is… rather unusual.

“Have you tried talking to Gerson about it?” he suggested. “He is one of the most knowledgeable monsters I know. At the very least, he might be aware of someone that could offer assistance.”

Conor shrugged. “I don’t see how… but I guess it’s worth a try. Thanks… er, Asgore.” That was strange; Conor didn’t usually hesitate when using his name. Well, this did seem to be a rather anxious moment for him.

Asgore tried his best to put Conor at ease. “Of course; I’m always happy to help. Now, would you like to put your things away and join me in the back garden? I ‘lowkey’ think that today’s teatime will be particularly ‘fire.’” That was what the kids were saying these days, right?

Conor blinked, staring at Asgore like he had grown a second head. He was obviously greatly impressed by Asgore’s mastery of modern language. “Uh… OK…” He slowly walked up the stairs, barely holding onto his bag in his dazed stupor.

Satisfied that he had demonstrated he could still keep up with the times, Asgore went to the kitchen to fill the kettle and turn it on. Humming a wordless, cheerful tune, he prepared two cups of golden flower tea for himself and Conor, along with a third with mint tea for Asriel (for obvious reasons). He busied himself handling the delicate teacups (which looked ridiculously small next to his large paws) and placing them on a tray alongside a collection of biscuits he had purchased from a local monster bakery. The spider-like proprietor had been perfectly polite to him, though she had stared at him rather hungrily as he entered the store. Perhaps she had recognized him, and was excited by the business opportunities from the king visiting her shop. Yes, that must be it.

By the time Asgore took the tray with tea and biscuits outside, Asriel and Conor were already sitting at the garden table. Asgore smiled warmly at both of them, setting down their cups and placing the tray of biscuits in the middle of the table. He then sat down in his chair (built larger to support his massive frame) and tried to get the conversation going with a little friendly chatter.

“You’ll have to tell me everything that happened this week,” he said, glancing back and forth between the two of them. “How are your classes going? I hear you are getting top marks, Asriel!”

“Yeah,” Asriel responded with little emotion. “It’s not like any of it is new to me, after all…”

“Well, with how well you are doing, I’m sure you could move up a grade if you are too bored.”

Asriel gave a panicked start at this suggestion, sitting bolt upright in his chair. “N-no, that’s OK. Really!”

Asgore was briefly surprised by this strong reaction, but soon realized, He wants to stay with Frisk and Conor. That is more than understandable. They have been through so much together, after all… Out loud, he simply said, “Whatever makes you happy, my son,” and gave a reassuring smile.

Asgore then turned to Conor to ask him a similar question. “How about you, Conor? Are your magic classes still your favourite?”

Conor’s eyes lit up at the question, as he proudly shared, “Yeah! I got a 98 on my last magical theory test, so Mx. Diamond is recommending I move to the next grade this Monday! They even said that if I keep going like that, I’ll fully catch up to my age level soon, and can be in Az’s class within another month!”

“Golly!” Asgore exclaimed. “That’s excellent news! When that happens, we’ll have to celebrate it together with Asriel’s grades. Maybe a trip to that amusement park, ‘Fantasy Wonderland.’” He winked. “My treat!”

Conor’s eyes opened wide. “Whoa! I’ve never been on a roller coaster before.”

Asriel glanced over at him. “It’s not like we have either, you know. There isn’t exactly room underground for that kind of thing.” However, his unaffected persona was briefly broken when he gave Asgore a faint smile. “Thanks, Dad.” Before Asgore could reply, however, Asriel’s face fell once more. “Maybe you should just take Conor, though. It’s not like I really deserve it…”

Conor glanced with worry between Asriel and Asgore, then seemed to suddenly remember something. “Oh! I still have to clean our room before Frisk comes over tomorrow!”

Asriel scowled at him. “You don’t have to do that now, you know.”

Conor shook his head. “I’ll totally forget if I don’t. I won’t be too long!” He dashed back inside, leaving Asgore and Asriel alone in the garden.

That was odd… Asgore pondered. He usually takes any chance he can get to comfort Asriel. Unless…

Maybe Conor thought a father could do a better job than he could. Well, it was a conversation he had been meaning to have for some time, anyway.

Asgore reached across and grasped Asriel’s paw, but his son quickly pulled away, hunching in on himself. Asgore winced, saying, “I know what you have done, Asriel, and it is-”

“No, you don’t,” Asriel interrupted, amending, “At least… not everything.” He continued, his voice breaking, “I’ve done… a ton of awful things. I’ve… killed a lot of people, even if they don’t remember.” He looked up at Asgore, self-hatred burning bright. “And I didn’t even have a good reason! It was just out of boredom… curiosity.” He spat out the last word, disgust clear in his voice.

“I… oh…” Asgore found it hard to come up with the right words. “It can be… difficult when you hate the person you were… the person you fear you still are…”

However, now Asriel had begun to talk, the floodgates seemed to burst open, a torrent of words spilling out. “I want to be better, but that’s still me! I can’t escape what I’ve done, what I’ve become! Conor says the important thing is that I’m honestly trying, and he gave up so much for me, and even Frisk doesn’t look at me with anger, even though I must have killed them both hundreds of times!”

Asriel took a deep, shaking breath, then asked Asgore weakly, “… Why don’t they hate me?”

Asgore took a slow sip of tea while he tried to get his tumultuous emotions in order. These questions felt so similar to those he asked himself every day. “I cannot speak for everyone as to their reasons, but… I think it is faith in you… and in me – belief that people can change, can overcome their past.”

Asriel looked up at Asgore with tear-filled eyes. “But how… how do you have the strength to keep going?”

Asgore gave a sigh that arose from the very depths of his Soul. “I’m not sure that I did… not for the longest time.” He wanted to spare Asriel from the details of his own deep remorse, but some flash of insight told him that his son would understand it, likely far better than he should. “For many years,” he continued, “it felt like my only hope of redemption would be from my death.”

He waited a moment, but the expected gasp of surprise did not come. Instead, Asriel simply stared into his cup, sad and pensive. Realizing his intuition had been correct, Asgore felt sick down to his stomach. With a trembling paw, he took another sip of tea to calm his nerves. “I believed that I had to continue, or my people would lose hope entirely… Never mind that I did not want to hurt anyone. That just made it worse, as I was betraying my own conscience, as well as those human children…”

Asgore looked up at the brilliant blue sky, now tinged with gold. “It was only when monsters came to the surface that I dared to hope that some good may have come from my actions…” He swallowed, unsure if he would ever forget the cost. “Whatever dark road you walked, it still led to you breaking the barrier and freeing us all.” Without bringing us into a new war with humanity, like my path would have, he mentally added. “Take some small comfort in that.”

Asriel asked bitterly, “Isn’t that just ‘the ends justify the means,’ though?”

“Ah…” Asgore replied, “I did not mean it quite like that. I simply wanted to say… that it is important to see the good in situations, even if it is in the smallest moment of excitement or joy. That is why I enjoy gardening.” He gave a shy, self-conscious smile – after all, it was always Chara that shared his passion for plant life, rather than Asriel. “There is a pride and comfort in creation, in nurturing a little seedling into a full-grown flower or tree… There is a certain peace and tranquillity in tending to a garden… There is great joy in bringing beauty to a space not through cold, dead art, but through sheer vibrant life.”

Asriel stood up and slowly walked to the edge of the patio; there, he gazed with shadowed eyes over Asgore’s garden, which was a riotous celebration of life and colour. “If I planted a flower for every sin… the entire mountain would bloom, and it wouldn’t be enough…”

Asgore rose from his seat and walked behind his son, putting a paw on his shoulder. “Each flower is not an act of penance, but a gift of new life. Moving forward, toward the hope of a better tomorrow… that is all any of us can do.”

Asriel turned around and looked up at his father, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “How… how close are you to that better tomorrow?” he asked tremulously.

Asgore sighed. “I may never get there, but the journey is worth it by itself. Especially… if walked together.” He hugged Asriel tightly. “I love you, Asriel, and I will always be with you.”

He heard a soft, “I love you too, Dad,” in response.

At those words, all his deeply-buried hopes and dreams began to emerge from the shadows of his heart. That will be how I can bring new life and growth, he thought. By helping my children and my people to find a brighter future.

After a good half a minute, Asgore heard a muffled, “Dad?” from near his chest.

“Yes?” he asked, pulling out of the hug.

“I think… I might like to try gardening sometime. Just… just maybe not golden flowers.”

Asgore put his paws on Asriel’s shoulders and smiled down at him. “I would be more than happy to teach you. I will have everything prepared by next weekend, I swear it.” He thought for a moment. “Perhaps Conor might be interested as well. We could all try our paws at it together.”

Asriel appeared doubtful. “Maybe…” he replied hesitantly. “Though I don’t know if he’d like getting dirt under his claws- I mean nails.”

“Ho ho!” Asgore chuckled. “I think he would prefer you had stuck with your first description.” He winked at Asriel, who smiled in return.

“Heh, yeah…” However, Asriel then looked around. “Talking about Conor… why’s he not back yet? How long does it take to clean our room, anyway?”

“I will go and find him. You stay here and enjoy the fresh air.” Asgore strode into the house, leaving Asriel to sit pensively at the garden table.

Walking through the empty home, Asgore quickly found Conor up in the bedroom he and Asriel shared when they were visiting. At the sound of his footsteps, Conor looked up from the book he was reading, still in his boss monster illusion from earlier. “Oh, hi… er, Asgore!”

There was that hesitation again…

Out loud, Asgore simply asked, “Are you alright, Conor? I thought you were getting ready for Frisk’s arrival.”

“I was!” Conor replied. “But there wasn’t that much to do, really. When I finished, you and Az looked… um… pretty serious… so I didn’t want to intrude.”

Asgore raised a single eyebrow and gave a conspiratorial smile. “Ah, so you had no idea whatsoever that we might engage in such a conversation, and it most certainly was not your intent all along. Do I have that right?”

Conor grinned back. “Well, I may have hoped a little.”

“Well,” Asgore replied, “now that we are done, would you like to come back down and join us? The weather outside truly is lovely today.” Conor nodded in assent, and the two of them headed back out to the garden.

Spotting Conor, Asriel asked, “What took you so long?” He then paused intently for a moment, like he was listening carefully to a faint sound. “… And why are you so happy?”

Ah, yes, Asgore recalled, that connection they now share through their Souls.

“I’m happy,” Conor replied, touching his own chest and smiling at his brother, “because you feel a whole lot more hopeful than you did a little while ago.”

Asriel looked out over the garden again, then back at Asgore. “Yeah,” he admitted, “I guess I am…”

The three of them spent a little longer in the garden in amiable silence; for the moment, it felt like no words needed to be spoken. However, the restless energy of youth seemed to build up within Asriel and Conor, and the two of them bounced out of their seats at almost the same moment.

“Race you to the living room!” Asriel called out, already running to the entrance.

“No fair!” Conor called back in protestation, following behind. “You started from closer!”

Asgore chuckled to himself, then followed them both inside. It was hardly a long distance; his living room was connected to the garden, and the entire side could be opened up on days with good weather (such as today). It was his one concession to making the king’s house different from the others, and only because he enjoyed blurring the lines between indoors and outdoors.

When the two of them settled down to play, the competition reminded him of something from earlier. “Oh!” he exclaimed in sudden remembrance. “How did your match go yesterday?”

Conor looked up with a grin. “It was a lot of fun!”

Asriel glanced over at his brother, a smile on his own face. “Well, yeah; it always is. The best part this week had to be getting that winning goal, though!”

“I don’t know… I thought Papyrus had some great moves,” Conor argued. “I had no idea he could do that sort of stuff to a ball with his blue magic!”

“What were the teams this time?” Asgore inquired.

“It was me, MK, and Papyrus against Frisk, Az, and Undyne,” Conor promptly answered. “Sans was refereeing again-”

“If you can call it that,” Asriel interjected, rolling his eyes. “I don’t think just standing around and watching really counts.”

Conor laughed at this. “Hah! I guess opening a ‘dog stand in the middle of the field probably doesn’t, either. Undyne immediately switched to ‘Royal Guard mode’ and dragged him off, saying it was illegal!”

“Pfft! Yeah, that was pretty great!”

The two of them returned to their multiplayer games. Asgore mostly watched, though he did join in for a few rounds of a more party-style game he had purchased for them just last week. The evening passed by surprisingly quickly, and Asgore found that it was soon time for him to send them both off to bed.

Asriel made a valiant attempt to resist. “You know, Mom lets us stay up an hour later than this.”

Asgore tried to hold back a laugh; he had already inquired with Toriel as to her choice of bedtime, hoping to keep their sleep schedules consistent. Clearly, Asriel had not overheard that conversation. However, Asgore couldn’t fully resist that hopeful face. “No, she doesn’t… but I could give you another half an hour. It is the weekend, after all.”

Asriel shrugged. “It was worth a try; I’ll take it. Thanks, Dad.”

“Yeah, thanks… er, Asgore,” Conor followed, seeming slightly distracted. Hm, he would definitely have to ask about that.

After the extra half hour was over, Asriel headed upstairs to brush his teeth and get changed. Before Conor could follow, Asgore lightly touched his arm to draw his attention. When Conor turned around, curious and mildly puzzled, Asgore hesitated for a moment. How to phrase the question, exactly?

He coughed to clear his throat, then said, “I, um, noticed you’ve been hesitating before saying my name. If I have done something to offend or hurt you, please let me know and I will do my utmost to make it right.”

Conor seemed taken aback by the request. He shuffled guiltily, replying, “Oh, no… it’s not like that at all! I just have to remind myself to call you ‘Asgore,’ I guess…”

Asgore did not exactly understand what Conor meant. He had gotten past both the highly formal ‘Your Majesty’ phase and the somewhat-less-formal ‘Mr. Dreemurr’ extremely quickly, so he couldn’t be referring to those. Puzzled, Asgore asked, “What name are you trying to avoid?”

Conor’s cheeks went rather pink at the question, and he shyly explained, “Well, the time I’ve been spending with you and Az… it’s really been feeling like…” His blush deepened. “Time with family.”

Asgore smiled fondly. “That’s because that is what it has been.”

Conor’s face became filled with worry. “B-but it’s only been, like, a month! And just the weekends! It’d be really presumptuous of me to just-”

Asgore gently put a large paw on Conor’s shoulder. Now he realized the name Conor had been avoiding for fear of seeming too desperate, too quick to love. “Do you know when I first considered Chara to be my child, after they had fallen into the Underground?” he asked softly.

Conor mutely shook his head. Asgore answered, “The very moment I discovered they had no one to return to. Perhaps even sooner… though I, too, did not want to make assumptions.” He looked Conor straight in the eye. “Do you understand… my son?”

Conor’s eyes filled with tears as he hugged Asgore, his arms barely reaching the sides of his waist. “I think I do… Dad.”

Chapter Text

“I’m almost ready, Mom!” Frisk called down the stairs, taking one last look around their room for anything they had missed. They were visiting Asriel and Conor for another sleepover, but since it was Saturday, they’d be at Asgore’s house this time. Of course, that shouldn’t change what they needed to bring; they just needed to remember what that was. It just felt like something was missing… They already had their toothbrush, pajamas, and a change of clothes for the following Sunday, so it wasn’t any of those.

Do you have the episodes? Chara checked with them.

“Oh, right!” they exclaimed, not bothering to whisper. They dug into the nearest drawer and pulled out a small thumb drive. Hopefully Asgore would appreciate their choice. “Got it! Thanks, Chara.”

Hurriedly packing the drive into their pocket, they grabbed their bag and rushed downstairs. They didn’t need to bring too much, really – they were just staying overnight until later Sunday afternoon – but you never knew what might come up, right? After all, those Dreams that had been just sitting in their pocket had certainly turned out to be pretty handy in the end.

Frisk’s mother was standing by the base of the stairs, fully dressed and waiting… well, as patiently as she could; she was only faintly tapping her foot. “You have everything, then, dear?” At least she refrained from actually opening Frisk’s bag and checking inside like she used to.

“Yep!” Frisk cheerfully replied, moving past her to put their shoes on.

They could feel their mom’s eyes on the back of their neck as they tied their shoelaces. Eventually, she asked, “Is that why you’ve been talking to yourself more? To help you remember?”

Frisk was glad they had their back to her, as their face immediately blazed scarlet.

She heard that? Who am I kidding? Of course she heard! It’s just a good thing Chara can still talk inside my head, too, or this’d get way more complicated.

“Y-yeah, Mom! I know it’s a bad habit, but it helps me figure stuff out.”

Frisk could hear her voice softening. “There is nothing wrong with talking to yourself or thinking out loud, as long as you aren’t disturbing other people.”

The advice was probably good, but Frisk was mostly just relieved that she believed them.

You should ask how she feels about ‘imaginary friends,’ Chara suggested dryly.

Frisk didn’t dare respond. Instead, they simply said out loud, “OK, I’m all ready.”

…

The distance to Asgore’s house felt just long enough that walking would be impractical, but still short enough that going in the car felt a little excessive. Frisk might have been tempted to walk anyway, but the dark grey sky above threatened heavy rain any minute: a far cry from the bright sunshine of yesterday.

The clouds seemed to churn above them for the entire car ride, but the rain was polite enough to wait a whole thirty seconds after Frisk stepped through Asgore’s front door. They had just finished taking their shoes off when they suddenly began to hear the continuous drumming of a heavy downpour. It seemed like they had made it just in time, though it meant that playing outside was probably not an option.

“Welcome, Frisk!” Asgore said with obvious enthusiasm. “Please make yourself at home. Asriel and Conor are… um…” he searched around the hallway. “… around here somewhere.”

He was soon proven correct (at least in part), when Conor came dashing down the hall, ears flopping around crazily as he rounded the corner. “Heya Frisk!”

Frisk blinked a couple times, looking over at Asgore and then back at Conor. Huh, they hadn’t realized he was okay using his illusion here, too. “Hey Conor! Where’s Azzy?”

“Oh, he wanted to watch the-” Conor was startled out of his sentence by a sudden bright flash, and both he and Frisk gave a slight gasp at the almost immediate low roll of thunder that followed. “-lightning.”

Conor and Asgore led Frisk to the living room at the rear of the house, where Asriel was almost pressed up against the wall-length glass doors that currently separated it from the garden. There was another flash, and this time Frisk could see a great fork of electricity streak through the sky, with a booming ‘krakoom!’ just after.

Sneaking up behind Asriel, Frisk commented lightly, “Shame it isn’t rainbow-coloured.”

Asriel nearly jumped straight into the air. “AH!” He turned around and glared at Frisk. “I thought you were the one telling me I didn’t need to keep going over that.”

Frisk shrugged, bearing a faint smile. “Yeah, but I have to admit there were some pretty cool parts.”

Asriel nodded earnestly. “Well, yeah. Lightning’s always awesome.” He turned around just in time to catch another bolt flash through the sky, and Frisk barely heard him mutter under his breath, “(Shocker breaker!)”

Still pretending he’s the one calling down the thunderbolts, I see, Chara reminisced. We didn’t really get that sort of weather underground, but he liked to pretend he’d bring it down there and we’d use it to power everything.

Frisk stepped backwards a little from Asriel, whispering, “(Didn’t you already have the Core, though?)”

Yes, but lightning sounded much cooler than some piece of machinery over in Hotland, no matter how technologically impressive.

Frisk could understand the feeling. After all, they preferred when futuristic shows didn’t go too heavy on the science and leaned towards what was cool instead.

“I’m afraid that it would be best to stay inside today,” Asgore apologized from behind the two of them. “But I’m sure we can all still have plenty of fun indoors.”

The comment on indoor entertainment reminded Frisk of what they carried in their pocket. “Oh yeah! I almost forgot! You said you wanted to see some anime, right, Asgore?” They pulled out the small thumb drive and held it out to him. “Well, I got Dad to copy across all of ‘Twilight of Eden;’ I think you’ll like it!”

Asgore did appear quite excited by the prospect. “Golly, that’s very kind of you, Frisk. We’ll have to watch some together this evening!”

Frisk was totally on board with the idea. It could be just like one of their marathon sessions at home!

Asriel, however, seemed more hesitant. “I mean, we’ve already got games and stuff-”

Frisk interrupted him with a quick elbow. “Hey, at least give it a shot! I wasn’t just thinking of Asgore when I picked this one, you know.”

“Well, that can be for after dinner,” Asgore said. “Speaking of which… Feel free to finish unpacking upstairs and enjoying each other’s company while I get that ready.” He appeared almost apologetic as he turned to face Asriel and Conor. “I am afraid my cooking skills are hardly up to your mother’s standards, but I will do my best to provide a feast fit for growing children.”

Conor’s ears perked up from next to Frisk. “Ooh! I can help!”

Asgore raised an eyebrow. “Thank you, Conor, but I insist that the three of you relax and enjoy yourselves while you are here. You are all my guests, after all.”

Conor rushed up to grab his paw. “But I really like cooking with Mom! It’s fun! Az and Frisk can still play and stuff, but I want to do this… Dad.”

… Dad??

Conor must have noticed Frisk’s shocked expression, as he timidly explained, “We… well, we had a talk, and…”

Asgore smiled down at him. “We realized that we were both afraid of hoping for the best.”

It’s hardly surprising, Chara reasoned in Frisk’s head. You know how desperate Conor was for a family, and just think how quickly Dad took me in…

The sheer wistfulness in that voice led Frisk to firmly reply, “(We’ll get you back to them. I promise.)” They followed Asriel upstairs as they continued to speak to Chara. “(You’ve still gotta tell them sometime too, you know. They think you’re dead! Wouldn’t it be better if they at least knew that you’re not?)”

Ah yes, I am sure they will be so glad to have their child back as a disembodied voice attached to another child, one that is not their own. Indeed, that will truly be the best news they have ever heard.

“(If we do go for a robot body, maybe it should be something prickly, like a hedgehog,)” Frisk replied, rolling their eyes. “(Or a cactus? Yeah, ‘Chara the Cactus’ sounds pretty good. You and Flowey would be a perfect pair.)”

Am I wrong?

“(I mean… it’s still something, right? Asriel came back, and so did you. It’s a big deal!)”

Chara did not reply. Frisk wondered what they were thinking; for all their connection, they still couldn’t exactly read each others’ minds.

However, it was Asriel’s voice that pulled them out of their own thoughts, combined with waving a paw in front of their face. “Hello-ooo. Frisk? You there?”

Frisk gave a brief start, snapping back to the world outside their head. “Oh, yeah. Were you saying something?”

 “I was just asking what you wanted to do,” Asriel re-stated, hunting around through his bag. “I brought some handheld games, or Dad’s got some stuff downstairs. We could always play ‘Super Party…’ but that’d feel a bit weird with just us.” He shook his head. “Conor just had to volunteer for cooking, of all things. Who actually enjoys that stuff??” However, despite his complaints, he appeared to be smiling.

“… You’re happy he is, aren’t you?” Frisk stated in dawning realization.

“What? Why would I be happy he abandoned us to chop vegetables and measure ingredients?”

Frisk couldn’t help but grin at Asriel’s fervent objections; they just confirmed the fact even more. “Because he’s spending time with your dad. He even called him that. That’s what you wanted, wasn’t it?”

Asriel looked away, but his smile had clearly only grown. “… He did, didn’t he? I knew they’d get along.” He tilted his head back towards Frisk. “Like you did with Dad, Chara. Though, I guess you two had gardening to bond over, too.”

It was a few seconds before Chara replied, but thanks to Frisk’s speaking-aid, they did so out loud to both them and Asriel. “… Yes. We did… have that in common.”

Asriel stared at Frisk, his golden eyes flashing. “We’ve got to get you back somehow! I mean, out by yourself! It’d be so great for us all…” His face fell. “For us all to be a family again…”

“Are you sure about that?” Chara’s voice rang out. “I tore our family apart last time. What if I do it again?”

“You’re better than that now, Chara,” Frisk answered earnestly. “We’ve all learned a lot.”

Their conversation was interrupted by Conor stepping through the door. “Heya! … Huh? You didn’t start anything yet?”

Frisk looked away from Conor, towards one of the beds. “We were just… talking.”

“Yeah, about Chara,” Asriel volunteered. “It’s not like you gave us much time, anyway. Why are you back already?”

Conor fondly shook his head. “We’re having lasagna tonight, but it’s store-bought, so there wasn’t much to prepare. I guess D… Dad wanted something foolproof. I did add a little bit to it, though; Mom has some great tricks to bring a pasta sauce to life!” He then shrugged. “That’s about it, though. The food’s just cooking now, and Dad said he’d keep an eye on it, so I can help him check later.” Frisk could then almost see the cogs in his head run in reverse for a moment, as he mentally rewound the conversation. “Wait! What about Chara??”

Frisk sighed. “Just… about the idea of having them out of my head and in a body of their own.”

Conor’s eyes shot wide open. “Is that even possible? That’d be awesome!”

“Well, I don’t know for sure, but last time I saw her… Alphys said there might be a way.”

Now it was Asriel’s turn to perk his head up, his eyes faintly shining with new hope. “Really!? And you didn’t say anything until now?”

However, Conor seemed to tilt his head in confusion. “You… don’t seem very happy about that.”

Frisk closed their eyes. “I guess I… I’m just pretty used to hearing them all the time, you know? I do want to help them, though. Honest.”

“Would it even help, though?” That was Chara’s voice, though it sounded even more bitter than usual.

“Of course it would!” Asriel stepped closer. “Why wouldn’t it?”

“Because I’d just destroy everything again!” Chara cried back, almost yelling. Frisk hurriedly opened the bedroom door and listened carefully, but there was no sound of footsteps. Phew, so Asgore likely hadn’t heard. They gently closed the door again as Chara seemed to mentally catch their breath.

When Chara spoke again, they at least sounded calmer, though Frisk could still feel a tight knot of anxiety that wasn’t their own. “… For as long as I’ve been back, this has always been Frisk’s body. They’ve been the one in control, the one making the decisions.” Their voice softened. “And they’ve made some pretty good ones. They helped save monsters; they helped save YOU, Asriel… They had all this power – over time itself, in a way – and they never used it to punch down or to take revenge, even if they were tempted at times.”

Frisk could feel themself blushing at this praise. Was this really how Chara felt? What about all their talk about pedestals before? Frisk was starting to feel like they were being placed on a shiny new plinth of their own…

“All I could do was offer guidance,” Chara continued, “and even most of that, they proved wrong – though you did your fair share of that too, Conor. Everything that Frisk accomplished, they achieved despite me, not because of me.”

“That’s not true!” Frisk objected. “You helped a ton! Especially against Asriel as a god! I don’t think…” They felt their voice begin to quaver. “I-I don’t think I’d have had the strength to keep going without your encouragement, without you telling me I could do it.”

Asriel turned away in guilt, likely realizing just how close he had come to the worst possible outcome: victory.

In contrast, Conor stared at them intently, though his eyes appeared to be faintly glistening. “It sounds like you two are pretty good for each other,” he said, a faint tremor in his own voice.

“Like you and Asriel are?” Chara wondered.

“Oh! Maybe not exactly the same, but…” Conor glanced over at his brother. “Yeah, something like that.”

Chara audibly sighed. “If I had a body again, I’d be the one making choices, and… I don’t know if they would be any better than last time…”

Asriel winced. Frisk figured that he probably had a pretty good idea of what it felt like to be ashamed of your decisions. Still, he was getting better, so why couldn’t Chara, too? And how could they even think of themself like that?

“Is this that whole ‘humans are awful and I’m a human so I’m awful’ thing?” they demanded to know.

“No,” Chara replied. “This is from what I did.”

“What you did and what you will do are totally different things, though!” Conor objected. “Hasn’t that been, like, the whole point of what we went through in the Underground?”

Chara remained silent.

Frisk did not break the quiet; they wanted to support Chara as well, but part of them felt like they, too, would be ‘lesser’ alone. Just Frisk, by themself. They’d gotten so used to Chara’s voice… Could they live with the quiet? And yet, wasn’t that worth giving them their life back? They’d still be there, after all, just not right there…

Conor continued to stare at them, eyes flicking between Frisk’s face and their forehead (his default location for ‘looking’ at Chara). Reading their expression further, his face fell. When he spoke, his voice was low and plaintive. “You’re both good people… The world would be better with both of you in it; I know it…”

“Maybe…” Chara eventually said. “Just… give us more time.”

Asriel didn’t seem thrilled with the idea, but conceded, “Alright. Fine. But, Chara…” He looked up at them, his own golden eyes pleading. “We still don’t know exactly what Alphys could do, right? Isn’t it worth getting more info first?”

Hm… She might have found out more about the nature of our connection by now, as well, Chara reasoned.

“(Do you think we’d keep some of it?)” Frisk whispered back. “(After… you know…)”

Who knows? Maybe it would be like Asriel and Conor: a little tether of emotions crossing the vast chasm of physical distance.

Frisk gave Asriel a slow, tentative nod. “It’s… it’s worth a try, at least.”

With this decided, the four friends realized that there likely wasn’t much more time before dinner, so they shouldn’t start anything protracted. Instead, they filled the gap with a short scene from a long-running campaign of make-believe (though it couldn’t be quite as active as usual, due to the constraints of staying indoors).

…

“Do you really think you stand a chance? It doesn’t MATTER what you try, Arizael! You’ll never stop my evil schemes!” Frisk ended the monologue with their best evil laugh. “Muahahaha!”

“That’s what you think, Dr. Gloom!” Asriel declared, proudly holding aloft a small rainbow shard. “But you didn’t account for the power of friendship!” Asriel had insisted that he had grown rather tired of ‘playing the villain role,’ and Frisk had to admit that he had leapt on their suggested heroic lines with surprising aplomb. “I do not fight alone, but with the great mage Orndalf the Green at my side!

“That’s right!” Conor leapt into a position next to Asriel, human once more and wearing a hooded cloak made from a hurriedly-tied bedsheet. “With my magic and your martial might together, Arizael, no evil can stand against us!”

“You poor, naïve fools!” Frisk mocked. “Don’t you know that villains can have their own allies?” They spread their arms out wide, ready for Chara’s contribution. Frisk tried to relax as best as they could, letting Chara come more to the fore to use some of their own magic. They felt a sudden flow of energy, and thanks to the mirror in front, they were able to witness the resulting display. In it, they saw their own shadow appear to animate from behind them, rising up and surrounded by cracking blood-red flame.

Woah! Nice one, Chara!

Frisk exuberantly continued their announcement. “BEHOLD!! The demon that comes when you call its name!” As if to punctuate their statement, a particularly loud ‘boom’ of thunder reverberated through the room at just that moment. Well, there had to be some advantages to the bad weather.

Asriel’s jaw dropped at this dramatic entrance, his eyes as large as saucers. However, he then cocked his head. “Wait… Are we even allowed to use our old characters?”

Conor poked him with an elbow. “C’mon! Is it really that big a deal?” He then turned to Frisk and Chara, summoning a harmless flame and taking a combat-ready stance. “Two of you, then? Good! That makes it almost a fair fight!” Unfortunately, before Conor could come up with any more lines, a musical alarm began to ring from his pocket, snapping everyone out of the roleplay. “Oh! That’s the timer! I’ve gotta help Dad check on the food!”

“Really? Now?” Asriel complained.

Frisk felt Chara pull back to the edge of their consciousness once more. “Want to keep going tomorrow before we have to leave?”

Conor and Asriel nodded at the same time. “Sure!” With any luck, things would be a little drier outside as well.

When they did head downstairs to eat, Frisk was surprised to see that places had been set for each of them at the dinner table. They were far more used to just eating in front of the TV.

Noticing their confusion, Conor patted them on the shoulder sympathetically. “Mom does it, too. You get used to it.”

Asriel glanced back and forth between the two of them. “What do you mean? Is this weird or something?”

“Not weird, exactly,” Frisk replied diplomatically. “Just… a lot of people don’t really have the big ‘family eating together’ thing anymore.”

“Sounds nice,” Asriel said with a wistful sigh. “You run out of stuff to talk about pretty quick.”

Conor shrugged. “It’s better than them not caring at all.”

I cannot disagree, Chara added. Though, it can be a little… suffocating.

With these differing opinions bouncing around their head, Frisk sat down at their place, ready to eat. Fortunately, they didn’t have to wait long before Asgore brought the food to the table and portioned it out. Taking a quick forkful, it seemed to taste absolutely fine to Frisk; whether it was just a particularly good store brand, saved by Conor’s additions, or due to an easygoing palette on Frisk’s part, they could not be sure.

A question from Asgore made them pause in their eating, their ears perking up. “So, did you three enjoy your afternoon?”

There were murmured noises of confirmation from the three kids, though few actual words. Asgore valiantly attempted to continue the conversation. “Well, I am looking forward to seeing that anime of yours, Frisk. What is it about?”

Frisk glanced up from their food. “Oh! An enchanted garden that holds the tree of life is under threat, so a bunch of unlikely heroes have to band together to protect it! One of the main characters is the head gardener, and he uses some pretty cool plant magic. Another one likes fire a bit too much, so she has to make sure she doesn’t burn everything down by mistake! I figured that kind of stuff felt pretty appropriate.”

Frisk didn’t want to mention the other reason they had selected this particular series: every person who was fighting to protect the garden had their own reasons for seeking it out in the first place, often involving some tragedy in their past.

They went on a real journey, they thought with an inward smile. Kind of like we all are…

Throughout their description, Asgore had been hanging on Frisk’s every word. When they had finished, he was positively beaming. “Well, that does sound interesting!”

After dinner, the four of them settled down for the viewing. Frisk had remembered to bring some popcorn as well, though Asgore did not have a microwave to cook it in. Instead, they resorted to heating the kernels on the stovetop, which Conor gleefully helped ignite, standing by to watch them pop through the glass lid. When they shared the resulting snack round, even Asriel took some, though he still appeared a little skeptical about the evening’s entertainment.

However, this affectation of distant disdain quickly melted away, and by the end of the second episode he was watching intently from the floor, leaning forward and holding his chin up with his paws, Conor in a similar position beside him. A few episodes later, Asgore was crying at a particularly sentimental scene; similarly engaged, Conor acted out an imaginary duel with the main antagonist during the next episode.

All-in-all, the family seemed to enjoy Frisk’s choice, and it was only sheer luck that saw Asgore notice how late it had gotten. “Oops! Golly, is that the time already? The evening positively flew by!” He turned the TV off and got out of his large, comfy chair. “We shall have to continue this the next time you are all visiting… though I must admit that I will find it difficult to wait that long!”

He then walked over to Frisk and knelt down, his voice reducing to a near-whisper. “I must know, however: do the swordsman and the fire woman ever declare their feelings for one another? They seem to be so perfect together.”

For Frisk to suppress a smile would have taken more determination and willpower than even they possessed. So Asgore was a fan of that ship as well? They knew he had good taste. However, Frisk wasn’t planning on spoiling something like that. “You’ll just have to keep watching and find out yourself!”

Asgore staggered backwards, clutching his chest in mock distress. “Oh, have mercy on this old monarch!”

Frisk, still grinning, eventually relented. “Well, let’s just say I really enjoyed Season 3…” Asgore’s face immediately lit up at the news.

Everyone was tired enough from the evening’s excitement that sleep came quite readily, even to Frisk, who had seen it all before. The next day felt like a blur, too, as the four friends continued their play session, as well as (begrudgingly) finishing some homework that was due on Monday. It felt like only a few minutes had passed before it was time for Frisk, Asriel, and Conor to all go home.

When they were all packed and ready to hop into his truck, Asriel and Conor slowly approached Asgore.

“So, Dad…” Asriel began. “We had a little talk, and figured-”

“Maybe you were right about us taking turns in the front,” Conor finished.

Frisk had been involved in the discussion as well, so they had a good idea of why this was rather important. Still, even trying as hard as they could, they couldn’t resist a joking interjection. “Oh! So does that mean it’s my turn on the front seat?”

“Oh, uh…” Conor stammered. “I didn’t even think about you, Frisk. Sorry! I mean, if you want-”

“Oh no you don’t!” Asriel grabbed Conor by the upper arms and force-marched him to Asgore’s truck, then firmly pointed inside. “No self-sacrificing this time! I’m sure they’ll be coming over again… Right, Frisk?”

To be honest, Frisk kind of liked the idea of this becoming a regular thing, though whether every week or less frequently had yet to be decided. “Sure! You’ve gotta keep watching ‘Twilight of Eden,’ even when I’m not around, though, OK? I need to know what you think about the way Season 2 starts!”

Asgore glanced over at Asriel and Conor, his two (corporeal) children. “I think we can manage that, can’t we, boys?”

Asriel gave a friendly shrug. “Yeah, but it’d be better with you there.” He then mouthed the words, “both of you,” at Frisk, who hurriedly look away.

“(Guess he still misses you,)” they muttered to Chara.

Indeed. I dearly want to spend more time with him, too. I just…

“(I know…)” Frisk replied. “(We’ll figure something out.)”

You mean like figuring out what we actually want?

“(Yeah… like that.)”

Chapter Text

“Yo, Conor! You free after school today?”

Conor turned around in the hallway at the sound of MK’s voice. “Oh, hey MK!” He then gave an apologetic smile. “Not today, sorry. I’ve got a training session with Undyne!”

MK’s head snapped back in surprise. “Whoa! I thought she was super-busy!”

Conor nodded. “Yeah, she is. I was really lucky she said yes.”

“Well, if you learn any extra-cool tricks, you gotta share them with me, OK?”

Conor grinned. “You bet! Especially if we’re on the same team tomorrow!”

MK bounced up and down on their clawed feet. “Oh, yeah!! You heard what it’s gonna be, yet?”

Conor shook his head. “No idea, and I bet Undyne won’t say anything. She and Papyrus really like to keep it a secret.”

We’re just lucky they work so hard to plan the games every week, he thought to himself. I hope they have fun, too. They look like they do, at least…

MK leaned in close, their eyes shifting back and forth on alert for eavesdroppers. “Maybe she’ll slip up and you can figure it out today!” Conor chuckled at this, but didn’t say anything, so MK continued, “Anyway, guess I’ll see you in magic class tomorrow. Catch ya later!”

Their tail swayed back and forth in farewell, and Conor waved back. “Yeah, I’ll see you then!”

Fortunately, the park where Conor would meet Undyne was not too far from the school. He knew the route well, since he travelled it every Thursday with his friends for their friendly competition. It felt a little odd to be walking it alone this time, but maybe this could become a new weekly tradition. At least traveling alone gave him the time and solitude to enjoy the view along the way; most of the trees had begun to change colour, so he found himself strolling through avenues of bright red, copper, and gold. Still, the vibrant autumn colours felt slightly incongruous with the heat of the sun on his skin. After a brief cold snap, the weather had gone back to being a little warm for mid-October, and it was supposed to only get warmer next week, but at least it was still cool enough for now that he wasn’t sweltering… yet. Undyne’s training would likely change that.

Soon, he spotted the bold fish-like monster herself, waiting for him near one of the park benches. She wasn’t sitting down on the bench, but instead was pacing back and forth in seeming impatience. At least she was wearing her more casual exercise wear – including a sleeveless shirt that surely was a little cool for this time of year – instead of full plate armour.

She spotted him from a little ways out, but continued to wait for his approach. Once he got closer, she called out, “Hey Conor! You ready for your special, one-on-one training?”

Conor nodded vigorously. “You bet! Thanks for saying you’ll do it, Undyne.”

She laughed at this. “Hah! Yeah, you are pretty lucky, punk! But I’m not gonna say ‘no’ to a friend!!” She looked him over. “Alright, so you’re a little young for the training exercises I give the Royal Guard, but I’ve still got some good ideas on how to toughen you up! We’ll warm up a bit first, and then go straight into the REAL training!”

Under Undyne’s instruction, Conor went through some preparatory stretches before the actual exercises. As he finished, Undyne inquired, “By the way, when are you gonna show me this new look I’ve been hearing about?”

Conor felt his eyes open wide. “What!? Who told you??”

Undyne grinned. “Alphys did! Frisk came by to see her this morning.” She became thoughtful for a moment. “I think they were talking about ‘options’ for something? Eh, I don’t know. Something totally nerdy, I bet.” She shrugged; not knowing didn’t seem to bother her too much.

So Alphys knew, too? Conor could feel his cheeks flush. At this rate, everyone would hear about his new spell… including Mom…

“Don’t worry!” Undyne called out with a grin. “My lips are sealed! Though… I still wanna see it.”

Conor sighed. “Well, it’d be hard to do any training, then. Using it takes every last drop of my magic; I can’t light even the smallest spark while it’s up.”

Undyne frowned. “Well, that sucks! You get to look like a monster, but then can’t use magic like one?” She seemed to consider the problem for a few seconds, then her expression brightened.

That’s the look she gets when she has a good idea, Conor thought, then corrected himself. I mean, it’s the look when she’s found out a new way to help someone.

Undyne cheerfully declared, “You know what? You’ve been Fighting a lot with your magic in our Thursday matches, but it’s always good to brush up on the fundamentals.” She conjured a glowing cyan spear and tossed it to Conor, who frantically caught it. “Dodge! Block! Thrust! Parry! Sweep! Throw!” She mimed the actions with her own spear as she listed them, then grinned once more. “You can do that with the illusion up, right?”

A smile bloomed across Conor’s face. “Y-yeah; definitely! That’d be great. Thanks, Undyne!”

Conor quickly glanced around to see if anyone else was looking, but the two of them appeared to have the space to themselves, at least for the moment. While Undyne watched intently, he placed down the spear and gently brought out his Soul. Repeating that now familiar mantra, “Shroud the Soul and the body will follow,” he took on his illusory form once more.

Undyne nodded appreciatively. “Not bad, kid! You look a little bit like Asgore!”

Conor gave a shy smile at the compliment. “You really don’t mind?”

Undyne shook her head. “I’ve seen how totally PASSIONATE you are about it! Besides, it reminds me of Shinji’s transformation in ‘Midnight of the Blood Rose!’” She paused to think for a moment. “… Though maybe not quite as awesome.”

After having enjoyed ‘Twilight of Eden’ as well, Conor idly wondered if he should join Alphys’ and Frisk’s next anime session as he picked up the spear in front of him. However, such thoughts were quickly driven from his mind by the relentless pace set by Undyne. She ran him through the motions over and over, incorporating stance shifts and small jumps into the movements. He tried his best to keep up with her, but he was already falling behind before the first half-hour had passed. By the end of the hour, his entire body was aching.

Undyne, in contrast, barely even looked tired. “Not a bad start for a total beginner!” she told him. “We oughta do this training more often – work on your endurance a bit more!”

He groaned, collapsing onto the soft grass. His muscles were crying out in agony, and his illusory fur was matted with sweat; he wasn’t really sure what would happen when he dropped the spell, but it likely wouldn’t help.

Undyne strode over to stand directly across from him. “I know it’s tough, but your magic’s only gonna get better from this! You’re not just strengthening your body, but your HEART and SOUL! Your DETERMINATION to keep going! Focus that drive onto your hopes and dreams, and your magic will be like a RAGING INFERNO!! YEAH!!!” Her enthusiasm was infectious, and Conor couldn’t help but grin despite the pain.

After a few more seconds, Undyne seemed to recall their earlier conversation. “… Oh, and don’t be too hard on Alphys, OK? Frisk probably would’ve said something at their piano lesson tomorrow evening, anyway.”

“Huh??” Conor replied, baffled. “I didn’t know you were teaching them how to play the piano!”

Undyne barked a laugh. “Hah! You jealous, punk? Or did you think you were the only one getting one-on-one lessons from me? I DON’T THINK SO! NGAHHH!!” She flexed, then suplexed the nearest bench.

Conor stared at her, one eyebrow raised, until she self-consciously put the bench back. “Oh yeah, people actually use these, don’t they?” She shook her head, likely to clear it from distractions. “Anyway, tomorrow’s gonna be my first session with Frisk, and I’m giving Papyrus friendship training three times a week, since he’s started learning cooking from Toriel.”

“Oh yeah!” Conor remembered. “I was home last time he was over for that. She, um… said there were a few things he had to unlearn first.”

Undyne cackled at this. “She probably doesn’t want him burning the house down like his previous teacher! Fuhuhuhu!”

Conor narrowed his eyes. “This ‘friendship training’ isn’t just another way to keep Papyrus out of the Royal Guard, though, is it?”

Undyne took a step back defensively. “What? No! … Though it’s funny you should ask that. Frisk seemed really annoyed with me about the Guard stuff, too. They confronted me about it right in front of Papyrus!” She shook her head. “Turns out, he already knew… and he’d already forgiven me for it.” She sighed. “I really don’t deserve that big goofball… And he did kind of prove himself in how he handled getting his Soul stolen and all that…”

She looked back at Conor, who was listening intently. “So yeah, I offered him a spot in the Guard then and there… and you know what he said?” Her eye twitched. “HE’D ‘THINK ABOUT IT!!’” She barked another short, bright laugh. “Hah! I totally deserved that!”

Her expression became more serious. “Anyway, turns out he’s pretty busy with all the mascot stuff right now; he’s practically another ambassador at this point. And it’s not like he actually needs lessons on friendship or anything…” She perked up once more. “But it’s a great excuse to spend more time doing cool stuff together!”

Undyne then seemed to realize something. “Wait a second! Why do YOU want this extra training, anyway? No offense, but you seem pretty keen on NOT Fighting most of the time.”

“It’s a lot of fun when it’s like this and not trying to actually kill anyone!” Conor replied earnestly. “Besides,” he admitted, “I still want to be able to defend myself and other people if I have to…” He shuffled shyly. “And maybe be a bit of a hero to monsters.”

After a moderate pause, he hesitantly offered one final reason. “… It could also be a bit like Papyrus’ friendship lessons…”

Undyne’s face lit up in a massive grin. “Aww, it’s fun to do cool stuff with you, too!” She then proceeded to put him in a headlock and violently muss up his hair between the horns.

“Hah! Hey!” he objected. “Please don’t noogie the human!”

Unrelenting in her assault, Undyne answered with glee, “I don’t see any humans here! Do you?”

Conor felt a joy like the sun was rising inside his own head (or maybe his hair was starting to burn from the friction). “Then, please don’t noogie the boss monster.”

“NOW THAT’S MORE LIKE IT!!” Undyne roared, finally letting go of him.

After being released, Conor immediately fell back down on the ground; the exercise combined with maintaining the illusion had completely exhausted him. He let the spell go with a moment of concentration, feeling a slight release of pressure that he hadn’t even noticed was there.

Guess I can’t keep it up forever. He scowled internally; that was just another reminder of how ‘fake’ it still was. Wait, he’d almost forgotten! He was going to see if Gerson knew anything about how to help him. He’d already asked Undyne about it, and she-

“So you wanted to head to old Gerson’s after this, right?” At Conor’s still-tired nod, Undyne turned her back to him and kneeled down like a runner at a starting block. “Then hop on!”

Conor just stared at her back for a few seconds. When he had asked for her help in reaching Gerson’s shop, he had assumed it would be by car…

“Um, are you sure, Undyne? The whole way?”

Undyne merely glanced back at him and grinned. “Pfft! Are you kidding? My ARMOUR’S heavier than you! I’ll be fine!”

Giving in to the absurdity of the situation, Conor climbed onto Undyne’s back, wrapping his arms around her neck and legs around her stomach like some MTT-brand human kid backpack (Now with realistic glowing Soul inside! Stick not included! Call now to order yours before they’re all gone!). Once he was settled, she immediately bounded forwards with startling speed. It wasn’t necessarily fast enough to outrun a car, but she also didn’t have to worry about traffic, which was particularly important as they headed deeper into the city.

I guess the armour made a big difference, Conor mused as he was lightly bumped around by Undyne’s steady sprint. We’d have never outrun her in Waterfall like this.

All in all, it was a surprisingly rapid mode of transportation, especially when Undyne started leaping over parked cars that were in her path, Conor holding on for dear life the whole time. It wasn’t long before she was dropping him off in front of a humble two-storey building, dwarfed by high-rise construction on either side and bearing a faded sign reading, “Gerson’s Junk Pile.” Gerson must have liked the name, if he had brought it to the surface as well.

“Here we are!” Undyne declared steadily, without a hint of exhaustion. “I gotta get back to the Guard – we’ve got a couple more interviews to hold today – but you have fun with the old shellback, and tell him I said hi!”

“I will!” Conor earnestly replied. “Thank you, Undyne.”

“No problem! See you tomorrow, kid!” With that, she was off, leaving Conor standing in front of the store entrance. He took a deep breath, pushed the front door open (hearing the ‘ding’ of a bell as he did), and stepped inside.

Gerson’s new shop was somehow even more cluttered than the old, with towers of old books, furniture, and other objects stacked on top of each other in what seemed like pure chaos. Perhaps more surprising than the mess was how busy it was; for a store full of old junk, it appeared to be doing a roaring trade, especially with monsters. Arrayed in a vibrant cacophony of shapes, sizes, and colours, monster shoppers were scattered throughout the premises, carefully examining items in the hopes of finding a hidden treasure.

In hindsight, however, Conor figured that perhaps this popularity should not be so unexpected. After all, monsters tended to value items with history and emotional attachment over mass-produced, ‘soulless’ (in their words) objects. Of course, they also loved anything with MTT branding, and Conor still wasn’t quite sure how that worked. Still, he considered this love of history to be just another thing he shared with them.

Conor carefully navigated the maze of books, knickknacks, and curios to make his way to the counter, where Gerson was busy helping a customer: an adult monster who leaned towards an ursine appearance, but with multiple sprays of colourful feathers that could compete with any tropical bird.

“Ah, yep, we’ve still got that antique book-case you were askin’ after,” Gerson was explaining to the shopper. “It’s in the back corner over there.” He gestured towards one end of the store. “Just head that way and take two lefts and then a right. You can’t miss it!”

The other monster shook her head. “How can you possibly remember where everything is located?”

Gerson seemed to find this particularly amusing. “Wa ha ha! My memory may be gettin’ worse, but it ain’t all gone yet! ‘sides, what kind of shopkeeper would I be if I couldn’t keep track of my own inventory?” A shift of his head appeared to bring Conor into his field of vision, and he added, “Best hurry, though. I’ll be closin’ the shop early in a few minutes.”

Conor blinked a couple times. Was that because of him, or just a coincidence? Undyne had informed Gerson he’d be visiting, so it was possible this was planned.

As the monster dashed off to complete her purchase, Gerson rang a bell on his desk and called out (in a surprisingly loud voice), “Attention, folks! I’m shuttin’ down early today, so if you’ve got any last-minute purchases, now’s the time!” He gave Conor a wink and a smile and said directly to him, “And I’ll be with you very soon!”

Conor smiled back, but had to quickly duck into an alcove made from an arch of books (looking up, the tome that made the ‘keystone’ was rather appropriately all about architecture) to avoid the sudden surge of monsters.

“I simply must have this piece!”

“How much for this one?”

“Is this part of a pair?”

When the rush had died down, Gerson beckoned Conor forwards. “You can c’mon out of there, sonny. They’re all gone.”

Conor hesitantly left the alcove and approached the counter. “Did you close early because of me?”

“Yep. Can you blame me? I’ve been hearin’ how busy you kids’ve been keeping yourselves. So, when I heard you wanted a little chat, I figured I’d make the most of it!”

Conor broke his gaze. “Sorry, er, Mr. Boom.”

Gerson raised an eyebrow. “What’s with this formality all of a sudden? I may be your elder, but I ain’t one to stand on ceremony. You’ve called me Gerson before, and that’ll work just fine now.” He left the counter, walking towards the back of the room. “Anyway, the shop’s nice and all, but let’s talk upstairs. My joints wouldn’t say no to some sittin’ down, that’s for sure.”

Conor followed Gerson up to the second floor, which served as his home above his store. Ushering Conor in to sit on a sofa in the living room, Gerson began to putter around the kitchen. “You want some sea tea? Your dad always loved to have a cup when he came to visit.”

Huh? ‘Dad?’ How did he know about that? Had Asgore mentioned it during their meeting yesterday? … Or maybe Gerson had just figured it out faster than the two of them ever could.

“Uh, sure,” Conor politely answered, not exactly sure what ‘sea tea’ even was. He just hoped it wasn’t made with saltwater…

When Gerson brought the drinks over (taking one for himself), Conor examined the shimmering cyan liquid with great skepticism. Was it supposed to glow like that? However, when Gerson took a sip of his own, savouring it with evident pleasure, Conor decided to try it for himself. Just the steam rising from the cup seemed to give an almost electric jolt; on actually taking a sip, Conor first noticed the definitely herbal flavour, like some sort of green tea, but then was immediately hit with an invigorating burst of energy.

Gerson must have noticed Conor’s expression, as he chuckled to himself. “Hehe, there’s some energizing magic in that old marsh water. Helps keep these old bones movin’! I’m just lucky my supplier stayed back in Waterfall!” Noticing Conor’s immediate expression of disgust at ‘marsh water,’ he laughed again, adding, “We do filter and boil it, you know.”

Gerson placed his cup on the table and leaned a little closer. “Now, I could regale you with the whole production process… but I figure you’re in more of a ‘straight to business’ mood at the moment, am I right?”

Conor nodded. “Yeah, I guess so…” He took a deep breath. “… Gerson…” However, he couldn’t help but pause briefly, trying to steady himself once more. “Do you know… if magic has ever been used for… transformation?”

Gerson tilted his head. “What, you mean like lead into gold, that sort of thing?” However, the twinkle in his eyes belied the fact that he might just suspect Conor’s real meaning.

Still, Gerson didn’t give anything else away; it seemed like Conor wasn’t going to be able to escape having to ask more directly. “No, more like… people.” He waved an arm all around in a vague gesture. “Humans. Monsters.” Another pause. “… Souls.”

Gerson’s resulting smile confirmed everything Conor suspected. “Ah, I figured as much. Your mom and dad talk about you, you know. They don’t have all the info, but between them, I can put it together… and what you want’s pretty clear, in my opinion.” He then shook his head. “Can’t say that I’ve heard of anything like that myself, though…”

Conor felt himself sink into the sofa. “Oh…”

However, before Conor could say anything else, Gerson raised a hand. “Now, I just so happen to know someone that might still be able to help. I mean, when it’s all boiled down, what you’re lookin’ into is basically a pretty complicated piece of spellcraft, am I right?”

Now unsure whether to feel hopeful or not, Conor gave a tentative nod.

“Well, you’d be wanting my boy, Alvin, for something like that! He takes after his mother that way; she was a real genius when it came to spellcastin’, may her dust rest in piece.”

The old tortoise looked off fondly into the distance for a few seconds, prompting Conor to commiserate and ask, “I’m so sorry… What happened to her?”

Still staring off, Gerson replied sombrely, “She lost hope… We monsters are rather sensitive to that sort of thing; our bodies and emotions are tied, like two fibers in the same thread. When one frays…” He sighed deeply, fixing his gaze back on Conor. “That’s what you’d be lettin’ yourself in for, you know. We’re fragile creatures, compared to humans.”

Conor’s face went pale, but quickly filled with resolve; he looked Gerson squarely in the eye and said firmly, “For once in my life, I know this isn’t some perfect fantasy. I want everything: the good and the bad. Whatever being a monster means… Besides,” he added, shaking his head vehemently, “you’re not weak; you just have a different kind of strength.”

Gerson examined him appraisingly. “You’ve got grit and determination, kid, that’s for sure…” He burst into laughter. “Wa ha ha! I knew I liked you!” Conor’s cheeks went pink at this praise from his hero.

Gerson seemed to have no further qualms with Conor’s plan, as he then stated, “Like I said, Alvin’s got a gift with magic, so if anyone can figure it out, he can.” He thought for a moment. “Now, he’s comin’ over tonight, you hear, so if your mom agrees, you can have dinner with us and a nice chat with him. I’m sure he can get you fixed up!”

Conor felt his heart start to beat faster. “Really? Are you sure?”

“I wouldn’t have offered if I wasn’t!”

Conor hurriedly dialed his mother’s number; she answered within two rings, perhaps anticipating his call. “Hi Mom!” he greeted her.

“Greetings, my child. Are you ready to be picked up, then?”

“Um, about that…” Conor felt an exhilarating mix of nervousness and excitement, but pressed on with his request. “Gerson invited me to stay for dinner. His son, Alvin, is even coming over! We’re gonna talk about magic and stuff! Can I? Pleeeease?”

To his surprise, Toriel appeared to be completely on-board with the idea. “That is most generous of him. And of course you may! Gerson is a very old friend; you will be in exceptionally good company.” She paused for a moment, perhaps having an idea. “Hm… we should invite him over sometime as well; not just to repay him, but to catch up on old times. Would you be willing to suggest the idea to him?”

Conor nodded, then remembered he was on the phone. “Yeah, sure.” He held a hand over the microphone and turned to Gerson. “Mom said that’s really kind of you, and was wondering if you’d want to come over to our place for dinner sometime.”

Gerson’s eyes lit up at this suggestion. “And enjoy some of Tori’s delicious cooking? Why, I’d be delighted! You tell her I can be over in two wiggles of a Moldsmal whenever she feels like feedin’ an extra mouth! Wa ha ha!”

Conor brought the phone back to his head and dutifully conveyed his translation of the message. “He said he could come over whenever.”

“Wonderful!” Toriel replied. “Do enjoy yourself, Conor, and please let me know when you are finished.”

“I will. Love you, Mom!”

“I love you, too.”

Gerson watched Conor stuff his phone back into his pocket, then told him, “Well, I gotta admit… asking you to stay ain’t entirely an act of generosity.” He leaned in conspiratorially. “After all, I’ve been hearin’ you’re quite the aspiring cook. Care to help this old tortoise in the kitchen before Alvin gets here?”

So he knew that, too? Conor found himself contemplating just how much a subject of discussion he might have been. It wasn’t really like he minded helping with this sort of thing, especially since Gerson had so kindly offered his assistance and potentially Alvin’s as well; it was just a bit of a surprise. “Oh! Uh, sure!” he answered, following Gerson into his small kitchen.

While assisting with some minor chores, Conor decided to ask the main question that had been bugging him. “Um, so what does your son do? I don’t remember Frisk or me ever meeting him in the Underground…”

“You can’t expect to see every monster in a day of walking!” Gerson chuckled to himself at this ridiculous notion. “Besides, he was doin’ research at Hotland University the whole time you and Frisk were going through the Underground. I’m pretty sure there wasn’t cause for you two to head out that way… unless you wanted to enroll! Wahaha!”

Settling down from his laughter, Gerson finally answered the original question. “But yeah, he studies magic for a living, peering deep into its mysteries. I don’t understand half the stuff he’s lookin’ into, but it might be relevant to what you’re tryin’ to do.” He shrugged. “Or it might not. Either way, I’d say it’s worth a try!”

So, Gerson had had a wife – and still had a son – and Conor hadn’t even known. In hindsight, he realized that he probably would have found out all about them from Gerson’s memoirs, but he just hadn’t gotten the chance to read them. Thinking a little more, Conor tried to remember when he had actually sat down to read anything simply for fun. It must have been… at least a week ago. Or maybe two? Three? It couldn’t possibly have been before he’d even left the Underground… could it?

He’d just been SO determined to make this magic work, to be a good friend for Frisk and Chara, to be a good brother for Asriel, to-

…

Yeah, he was kind of ignoring his own well-being again, wasn’t he?

A sudden ring of a doorbell snapped Conor out of his distraction; he looked down at his hands to realize he had been rinsing the same leafy greens for the past five minutes. Gerson had already left to answer the door – which must have offered a direct entrance to this floor from the side of the building – and Conor could hear a joyful, “Alvin! Glad you could make it!”

“We have enjoyed this meal together every Wednesday for a hundred years… but yes, I am glad to see you as well.” This voice was unfamiliar, sounding softer and slightly lighter, though there was a distinct dry note in the response.

Conor peered round the corner to see Gerson welcoming in another tortoise monster, one who bore a striking resemblance to the old warrior, though with several key differences. For starters, he looked significantly younger (though still old to Conor’s eyes, at least) and bore a full head of bubble-gum pink hair. He also carried a near-permanent faint smile, though it rarely stretched into the full laughter that Gerson often exhibited. However, what struck Conor most of all was simply the patience and calm that the new visitor projected, like he had all the time in the world, and no desire to spend it rashly.

Gerson glanced over and noticed Conor’s surreptitious observation. “It’s OK, he won’t bite. He ain’t a snapping turtle!” To Alvin, he said, “This here is Conor, one of that trio that got us out of the Underground. I suspect he’s hopin’ to follow in my footsteps; maybe a bit more literally than you’d think! Wahaha!” He gave Conor a merry wink during this last line.

Conor blushed, and stepped out into the entry hall. Alvin gave him a nod of recognition. “Yes, I believe I have seen his face before.” He then nodded again, but slow and deep this time – almost like the beginnings of a bow. “Hello, Conor. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Thank you for all you have done for us.”

Conor simply stood there for a moment, blinking and faintly blushing, completely nonplussed by this greeting. “Um, hi Mr. – er, Professor Boom?”

Alvin raised an eyebrow. “Please. ‘Alvin’ or ‘Dr. Alvin’ is fine.” His eyes shifted to Gerson beside him for a moment. “Especially for a friend of my father’s.”

Conor gave a quick nod of his own. “Oh. Alright then, Dr. Alvin.”

Gerson nudged his son’s arm. “Conor here’s got a regular magical conundrum on his hands, but we can chat about that after dinner. You get all comfy and the two of us’ll finish things off.”

Now Alvin’s other eyebrow joined the first in climbing his forehead. “Well, I can certainly try and be of assistance.” He peered at Conor closely. “I am afraid I do not know as much about human applications of magic, however. I was born after we were sealed underground, so my knowledge in that area comes purely from written history and hearsay.”

Conor felt his nerves intensify. “It’s… Well, it’s sort of human and monster magic, so…”

Gerson quickly interrupted, “And like I said, it can wait ‘till after we eat. You get Alvin into a big philosophical discussion on magic now, and the food’ll be cold before you’re done.”

Conor couldn’t deny that Alvin already appeared quite distracted, even starting to muse, “Human and monster magic. Hm… How would they interact, I wonder…”

Gerson gave Conor a look that seemed to say, ‘look what you’ve started,’ then led the two of them back into the kitchen, where he unfolded a dining table from a side wall. Noticing Conor’s surprise, he explained, “Compact livin’! That’s the key!” He tapped on the back of his own shell. “Call it an old habit from my wandering days.”

Gerson proceeded to share a couple stories from his youth over dinner, though many of the finer details appeared to have been lost to the mists of time and memory. The three of them then began to discuss more mundane matters – Gerson in particular hoping to catch up on what Alvin and Conor had been up to – before the more serious discussion began following dessert.

Alvin started the subject change with a kindly smile towards Conor. “Well, I imagine you can’t stay over too late, young man. Perhaps it’s time we talk about your ‘magical conundrum,’ as my father put it.”

Conor gave a brief start; the pleasant dinner and conversation had almost completely driven his original reason for visiting from his mind. “Oh! Um…” How best to begin? Well, from the beginning seemed best, as trite as it sounded. “I guess I’ve sort of always wanted to be a monster, even before I knew they existed…”

Conor went through his story, from falling into the Underground to using the Dreams to help Asriel (and the resulting fragment in his own Soul) to developing his illusion and his struggles with taking it further.

Alvin listened carefully to Conor’s explanation, quietly absorbing every detail. Once Conor had finished, he responded, “A complete transformation… That would require powerful magic indeed…” He seemed to ponder the situation, then requested, “It would help if I understood your current level of proficiency. Might I see your illusion first, please?”

Conor obliged, casting the spell like he had multiple times before. Alvin raised an eyebrow when Conor started the magic by calling out his Soul; however, what appeared to truly startle him was the resulting change in appearance. “That is already quite impressive! If a monster with a human’s Soul would be a powerful force, it stands to reason that the same might be true in reverse… and now I see how that could be the case. Even that small fragment you possess seems to have unlocked great magical potential.”

Conor felt a peculiar blend of excitement and disappointment. While his love of magic made him glad it was stronger for him now, he couldn’t help but wonder… Did that mean that his abilities came purely from factors outside his control? Was none of it from his own hard work?

Noticing his reaction, Alvin added comfortingly, “Though I imagine it still requires a strong natural aptitude, and I hear your efforts have been exemplary towards developing your own magical talent.”

Conor blushed at the compliment, but soon wondered, “Where did you hear that?”

Alvin smiled. “Why, from the king, of course! It is any parent’s prerogative to proudly share the achievements of their children, is it not?”

Conor’s blush deepened as Gerson laughed. “Wahaha! Yep! Why, look at Alvin, here! They’re settin’ up a big ‘Magical Studies Department’ at Ebott University, and he’s been asked to head up the whole thing! Of course King Fluffybuns’d be vistin’ constantly to see how it’s going!” He smiled proudly at his son, then winked at Conor. “Why’d you think I knew he’d be perfect to help you out?”

At this point, it was Alvin’s turn to look uncomfortable at the effusive praise. It seemed that parents could embarrass their children no matter the age. He turned his attention back to Conor. “Now, casting a convincing illusion by yourself like that is already an impressive start, but I’m sure you understand that a true transformation would be magnitudes greater in difficulty.”

Conor nodded sadly. “I figured as much…”

Alvin continued, bringing one hand to his chin, “Yes… I suspect the only way would be some sort of ritual, and even that would require a prodigious expenditure of energy… Though perhaps a human Soul could provide…” He descended into soft muttering to himself.

Conor didn’t quite catch everything, but one word did stick out to him. “A ritual? What’s that?”

This question brought Alvin out of his contemplation. “Ah. It is a more involved method of spellcasting that requires additional factors – such as runes or symbols, words or phrases, external props or foci, and potentially even other participants – but enables feats of magic that could not be accomplished alone. I personally suspect that the original seven human mages who created the barrier used a powerful ritual to do so… though that would be a difficult hypothesis to prove.” Conor listened in rapt attention, drinking in the knowledge and history.

“However…” Alvin finished, “rituals are complicated and can be quite dangerous. We typically don’t teach young monsters about them until close to adulthood, and very few have the aptitude or interest to pursue the subject.”

“I definitely have the interest!” Conor responded fervently. “And… I guess this fragment might mean I have the aptitude as well…”

Alvin nodded, though still clearly concerned. “Yes, I was thinking just that; however, the danger remains. This would not be an existing ritual with decades of practice and testing behind it. We would be entering uncharted waters, and that brings with it a high level of risk.”

Conor felt his face go pale. “I… I still want to try.”

Alvin seemed to examine him for a while longer. “It would certainly be a most fascinating area of study. Of course, you would need your parents’ permission before attempting any practical applications, but…” He nodded to himself. “Yes, I don’t think there would be any harm in accelerating your study of magical theory, at least.”

That sounded… complicated, but Conor had to make the attempt. If there was even a chance this could get him closer to his original Dream… he had to seize the opportunity.

So much for having more free time, I guess, he wryly thought to himself.

But it would be worth it. He was sure of it.

Chapter Text

Toriel was sitting quietly at the table for this advisory meeting, trying to hear both as much and as little as she could. After all, the current subject was the five children that had fallen into the Underground after Chara and before Conor. The five children that had all died…

The previous topic had been much more pleasant: the status of the subway line being built to New Home. Excavation and construction were proceeding surprisingly well ahead of schedule – at least, surprising to the humans; monster contracting firms had become highly specialized in digging out and building in new spaces underground, after all. Asgore had even suggested some good ideas for how to speed things up further, knowing how important it was to have this rapid line of connection between monsters on the surface and those that stayed within the mountain. Toriel had to admit that he was more… capable than she remembered. That was likely a change forced on him over the century of ruling alone.

A thin, spidery voice returned her attention to the present subject of conversation. “I understand that it pains both of your Majesties, but I cannot recommend any more strongly that the fates of those human children should be within the court of diplomacy.”

Hearing the beginning of this argument, Toriel began to listen more closely. Mr. Furcifer (of ‘Furcifer and Ornit,’ the Underground’s premier legal firm) had a near-encyclopedic grasp of the monsters’ legal system, and had already picked up that of several human countries; so, when he made a suggestion, it was often wise to pay attention.

Between sentences, the old lawyer’s eyes shifted around in different directions, and he flicked his tongue at the book in front of him to turn the page. Strangely, even after coming to the surface and despite resembling a chameleon, his skin still matched the neutral grey tones of the stone in New Home. Either he was so used to this colour that he could no longer change it, or it simply suited him too well.

Mr. Furcifer cleared his throat and continued. “After all, even though they did not know it or intend to, when those humans entered through the barrier, they passed into sovereign territory of the Kingdom of Monsters. While our treatment of them was hardly…” His eyes wandered independently around the room once more, as though he could find the right word written on one of the walls. “… welcoming, it occurred in a state of war, and while they were subject to our laws. As such, it is clearly a diplomatic concern between kingdoms and nations, rather than a judicial matter against you personally, Your Majesty.” He finished his conclusion with a bow to Asgore, who sighed in response.

“No matter how we treat it,” Asgore stated, “I will always know that it was my choice; my responsibility.”

And I will always know that I let them go, and did not follow… Toriel grieved silently.

Her mind drifted back to memories of those five children – each so different from the others, with their own reasons for wanting to leave her, but all meeting the same fate. At least the two that came after, Conor and Frisk, were still safe. Though they had also left, they had done so by giving her a reason to trust them… and that trust had been repaid a thousandfold with the freedom of monsterkind and the return of Asriel, even if he was… changed. No longer the gentle, carefree boy she remembered, he was now a moody youth with an acerbic wit that was most commonly levelled against himself.

Toriel sighed, then looked up to realize she had missed most of Mr. Furcifer’s response. “-and the Kingdom of Monsters cannot afford for you to fall on your own sword, Your Majesty.”

Aurelei then chimed in, her voice full of worry. “The humans might want you to step down or face punishment, but… We can’t lose either of you! Please!”

Toriel stared at her for a few moments, surprised by the outburst. Aurelei did not usually partake in the meetings directly; she must have felt particularly strongly about this. Toriel half-expected Undyne to join in with her own agreement, before remembering that Asgore had allowed her and Papyrus to miss meetings on Thursday afternoons.

Aurelei added, “Hasn’t it been long enough since the last human before the two that helped us? They can’t expect you to-”

“Forty-six years,” Asgore interrupted.

Had it really been so long? It felt like just yesterday that young Ravi had… had…

Asgore continued, seemingly lost in memory, “Forty-six years, five months, and… twelve days.”

The silence in the room was deafening, each monster lost in their own thoughts. However, it was Toriel that spoke first, slowly lifting up her head. “A memorial.”

Everyone turned towards her, Mr. Furcifer going to far as to give a baffled, “… Your Majesty?”

“I have seen statues and sculptures around the city, to soldiers that gave their lives and to innocent victims alike. Is that not the case here as well? They deserve to be remembered.”

“Yes,” Asgore agreed. “A memorial to the five children that… that died at my paws.” Asgore’s eyes shifted down to his own paws for a moment, but he quickly raised them once more. “As a mark of contrition on our part, and a reminder to monsters of the terrible price paid to break the barrier.” Toriel noticed a small flash of that old rage return; it must have been directed at the original human mages this time, for setting such a steep ‘price’ in the first place. “If it is combined with a sculpture to mark the innumerable monster lives lost in the war, perhaps it will serve as a reminder to both sides of the cost of fear and hatred, as well as a gesture of reconciliation.”

Toriel nodded slowly; this was certainly something she could agree on. “‘The Cost of Hatred’ could be a good title for the piece. It was certainly paid for by many innocent lives…”

“Reparations may be required on our part as well,” Mr. Furcifer stated. “However, considering the wholesale slaughter and subsequent imprisonment of monsterkind so many years ago, I would argue that the scales are still significantly in our favour.”

Toriel winced, but she knew that Mr. Furcifer’s pragmatism and emotional detachment often gave him a unique insight. Still, she could not help but clarify her position. “It is not about quantifying blame, but ensuring something like that never happens again, on either side.”

Toriel closed her eyes. So that no more monster or human parents will lose their children…

Gerson nodded in agreement. “That’s what we’re all fightin’ for.”

“(We work to bring forth a brighter future…)” Toriel barely caught Asgore mutter the words to himself, before he lifted his head once more. “Yes, we will do everything we can. Perhaps Frisk could attend the unveiling, once the project is complete. I cannot think of a more important time to show unity between humans and monsters.”

Toriel tilted her head at the suggestion. The idea was sound, but she found herself hoping that they were not laying too many expectations on young Frisk. They were still a child, after all; and while they had their own parents, she could not help but try and do her best to keep them safe. Of course, there was still the happiness of her own children to consider, too. There was still a peculiar distance from both of them at times, but she could not quite pin down the cause.

After a few smaller details were discussed and hammered out, the meeting shifted to other matters of state, all of which passed a lot more smoothly and without the same level of emotional charge. Once everything was concluded, Toriel headed back home, aiming to finish grading her class’s tests before dinner. However, as she reached for the keys to her front door, a half-remembered thought made her stop and turn around. Perhaps, while Frisk and the others were all out, this would be a good opportunity to check with their parents if the pressure of their position was getting to them.

Resolved in this new course of action, Toriel walked a few doors down the street to the home of the Yoshida family. Toriel had only interacted with Frisk’s parents a few times before, but she knew they both worked from home, so they should be present; she only hoped that they would be available for a brief discussion.

When Toriel knocked on the burgundy-coloured door, she heard a woman’s voice call out, “Just a minute!” About twenty seconds later, an olive-skinned woman with walnut brown hair and dark brown eyes opened the door, appearing mildly surprised at the identity of the visitor. “Oh, Toriel. Hello. What brings you over?”

Toriel gave an apologetic smile. “Greetings, Amina. I hope this is not a bad time.”

Amina shook her head. “You’ve got pretty good timing, actually. I just sent a draft to a colleague, so they’ll need a little while to look it over.” She seemed to notice something in Toriel’s expression. “Is everything alright?”

“I believe so,” Toriel replied. “I was merely wondering if you had a moment to talk about Frisk.”

Amina’s brows immediately furrowed in concern. “It isn’t anything to do with school, is it? As far as I know, everything’s been going a lot better for them there… Ever since they helped free an entire species.” Her tone was a little dry on that last line; she likely still found the entire situation rather surreal.

Toriel smiled. “I am not their teacher, but I have heard only good things about them as well. You may rest assured that it has nothing to do with their schooling. However, you did come close to the subject all the same. In fact, you could say that I am visiting in my… other official capacity.”

Toriel paused for a moment and adopted a slightly more regal air. “I am grateful that you and your husband were willing to stay on this land, considering the… local change in sovereignty. I understand the financial compensation for those choosing to leave was quite generous.”

Amina raised an eyebrow at the change in subject, but then waved a hand in dismissal. “We’re comfortable enough that it isn’t about the money, and ‘Sun Home’ sounds rather nice in the address. Besides…” Her eyes darkened for a fraction of a moment. “With the trouble Frisk has had making friends in the past, how could we possibly tear them away from all the new ones they had found? I… I don’t think I have ever seen them quite so happy, to be honest.”

Toriel breathed a sigh of relief; that was good to hear, at least. However, she could not end the questioning there. “I know that Asriel and Conor, too, are so glad to have them as a friend. However, it is Frisk’s happiness that I have come to discuss, and that more in the role of queen than as mother of their friends.”

Amina’s face was naturally quite serious, so it did not have far to go to become rather grave. “Well, perhaps you should come inside then, Your Majesty. I suspect Rinji and I might both want to hear this.”

Toriel inclined her head, then followed her inside. “Indeed, and thank you. I will try to keep it brief.”

Amina led Toriel to a large living room, then walked down the hall to lightly knock on another door. “Rinji! Do you have a few minutes? We have a visitor.”

A few moments later, the door opened, and a round-faced man with black-brown hair poked his head out, blinking hazel eyes behind glasses in the bright light. Spotting Toriel, he smiled and stepped out of the room. “Ah, Toriel. It’s been a little while, hasn’t it? How are you?” Walking down the hall alongside Amina, he added, “Would you like anything to eat or drink? We might have some-”

Toriel smiled back, raising a paw to stop him there. “Thank you, but I will likely not be staying long. I do not wish to keep you from your work. And I am doing well, thank you.”

Amina rubbed a hand on his shoulder. “It’s about Frisk, dear.” She shifted her gaze back to Toriel. “Everything is alright with them, isn’t it?”

“To be honest, that is more what I was hoping to ask you.” Toriel waited until they had all seated themselves before continuing further. “I realize that we monsters have imposed upon them a number of times in an official capacity. I can truly say that their assistance has been invaluable… But I wanted to make sure that they were not suffering for it. They have not been particularly stressed or tired of late, have they?”

Both humans seemed to think on this for a moment. Eventually, Amina said, “I mean, in some ways it’s almost the opposite. I already mentioned this before, but I don’t know if I’ve ever seen them happier or more focused than they have been the past month or so. And it’s not even just their new friends. It’s like they’ve found a… a sense of purpose. Something to push towards.”

Rinji nodded his head in agreement. “What they’re doing for all of you, they’re definitely doing it because they want to; because it’s important to them. Now, that doesn’t mean they can’t be pushing themself too hard…” He glanced over at Amina. “They were absolutely exhausted when they came home from that party last week, after all. Happy, but exhausted.”

Amina brought a hand to her chin. “Hm… They have been talking to themself a lot more since returning from Mt. Ebott, too… There isn’t anything wrong with that in and of itself, but it could be a sign of stress… They’ve also been a bit moody at times, but they are almost a teenager, so it could easily be that.” She turned curious eyes to Toriel. “Do young monsters get that way, too?”

Toriel chuckled. “Yes, that sounds like something our species have in common. It is not unusual for their magic to go a little haywire at the same time, with the various surges of emotion – not in a dangerous way, mind you! Simply… errant sparks and other visual phenomena.”

Could that be the case for Asriel? Is he simply reaching that age? Toriel mentally shook her head. No, it feels far deeper than that.

“Sounds like you’re a bit lucky that way, if you’ve got visual cues,” Rinji commented. “We just have to guess from how they act.”

Toriel inclined her head in acknowledgement. “Perhaps. It is certainly a time of discovering identity.” She leaned in to share a secret, a smile on her lips. “I recall that my magic turned pure black for nearly an entire year!” She sighed in nostalgic reminiscence. “I suppose we all change in our own ways.”

Everyone changes…

Amina was staring at Toriel, one eyebrow raised. “Huh. Guess we do have more in common than I thought.” Her face settled back to a more serious expression. “About Frisk, though… I don’t know if there’s been anything else, really. I can’t promise they’d tell us if they were feeling stressed – as much as we’ve encouraged them to – but I can tell you I haven’t seem them smile this much before.”

“Besides,” Rinji added from next to her, “those kids of yours seem like pretty good friends to them. I have a good feeling they’d keep Frisk from taking on too much.”

Toriel felt a brief wetness in her eyes, one that she quickly blinked away. “Thank you. That- that is most reassuring to hear. There may be some more events in the near future that we – King Asgore and I – hope they can attend, but if it ever becomes too much for them, please let us know.”

Both Amina and Rinji nodded at this, Amina saying, “Believe me, we’ll be the first to stop you if it looks like you’re pushing them too hard.”

“Thank you,” Toriel replied. “I would expect nothing less.” An idea came to her. “Oh! In that same spirit of gratitude, you all must come over for dinner sometime! Please, I insist.”

Now both of Amina’s eyebrows rose. “You know… I’ve never had monster food before. Frisk mentioned they enjoyed what they had down below the mountain, though.”

Rinji agreed. “They made it sound pretty tasty, to be honest.” He hunched his shoulders, slightly shy. “I’ve actually wanted to try it for a while…”

Toriel couldn’t help but grin at their response. “That is excellent news! It is perhaps not quite as filling as human food, but I believe you will find it quite restorative.”

Once the three of them had settled on a day, Toriel thanked the Yoshidas once more and returned to her home. Asriel and Conor were not back yet, so she took the opportunity to do a little marking, though their discussion had taken long enough that she didn’t get through all of it before she heard the front door open once more.

“Hey Mom!” Asriel called out as he locked the door behind himself.

Toriel looked up from the papers on her desk, taking off her reading glasses at the same time. “Welcome back, Asriel. Did you enjoy your game?

Asriel shrugged. “It was pretty fun, I guess… but we lost pretty badly. I guess Conor will be happy, though; I didn’t think him, Papyrus, and MK would be such a strong team.” He paused for a moment, remembering something. “Oh. And just so you know, it was Sans who took him over to Alvin’s. Papyrus offered to drive him there, but Sans said he knew a shortcut. Um, and Undyne offered to pick him up after, too, so he should be back before dinner.”

Toriel felt a slow smile creep up her face. “That truly is most generous of them. You two have made some rather wonderful friends.”

Asriel seemed to flinch at this, responding with an unenthusiastic, “Yeah.”

Toriel’s first thought was that Asriel was still annoyed over losing; he had become quite competitive after coming back to life. However, she recognized that his shoulders hadn’t hunched until the moment she mentioned his friends.

“Is everything alright between you and them?” she inquired gently.

Asriel’s head snapped up, seemingly startled. “What? No! They’re great! Better than I…” He turned away, letting the sentence trail off.

There he went, closing himself off from her again. She persisted in her questioning. “‘Better than you…’ what?”

Asriel firmly shook his head, still facing away. “It’s nothing, Mom. I’m fine.”

Toriel narrowed her eyes. “I cannot say that I believe you. What is wrong?”

Now Asriel rounded on her, practically snarling, “Then DON’T believe me! Maybe you shouldn’t! Why DO you trust me, anyway?”

Toriel stared at him blankly, stunned by both his words and his vehemence. “What… what are you talking about?”

Asriel’s voice lowered, rage replaced with acrid bitterness. “What’s so different between me and Dad? Why…” He looked up at Toriel with shadowed eyes. “Why will you forgive me and not him, when I deserve it even less?”

Toriel heard her own sharp intake of breath. However, she steeled herself as best she could to give an honest response. “Because you are different. You are still a child, one who was broken and fell down a terrible path… One of many children I could not save…” Her voice faltered, but her eyes became cold as she continued, “Asgore is an adult, one who should have known better. We were both wrought by grief, yes, but he made a dark choice and then continued on the same path four more times.”

She kneeled down to hug Asriel, though he seemed to squirm in her arms. “But most of all… it is because you are my son, and I love you. Nothing you do will ever change that… even if I have not been the best at showing it.” She felt Asriel slowly calm down, but he still seemed uncomfortable.

Does he truly feel so unforgiveable? she wondered with concern.

Finally, Asriel spoke once more, his voice shaky and weak. “I just… I’ve really been trying to be better…”

Toriel gently stroked the fur on top of his head. “Shhh. I know. I know…”

However, Asriel seemed to take this differently than she had intended, writhing in her grasp once more. “But so is Dad! He really is!”

Toriel closed her eyes and turned away. “I… …. I know that, too…” And she truly did. She had seen it every day, in everything he did for their people and for their children. She wasn’t blind, after all… as much as it would have made things easier.

“So why can’t you…?” Asriel could not finish the sentence, but he didn’t need to.

Toriel felt the words like a knife through her heart. How could she explain to him the ache she felt whenever she saw Asgore? The emptiness of the void left behind from the five pieces he had torn out of her heart? She had already failed those children once… to forgive or forget would be to betray them a second time. How could she possibly do that to them?

She felt herself begin to tremble, and quickly let go of Asriel before he could feel it. “I… I am sorry, Asriel. Some wounds… are just too deep.”

Asriel winced. He was still close enough that Toriel heard him mutter, “(And it’s my fault…)”

She immediately grasped his shoulders once more, willing him to look into her eyes. “Do not say that. It is hardly your fault that Chara… that Chara died.” Asriel broke eye contact, but Toriel continued to assure him, “And regardless of what happened… your father’s actions – and my own – were our own decision. You cannot blame yourself for how we reacted, especially since losing both of you was hardly your-”

Asriel growled low in his throat, then practically roared, “You don’t GET it, Mom! Chara’s death WASN’T an accident! They died on purpose! And I…” His eyes shifted to the ground. “I helped them.”

Toriel stood stock still, staring at Asriel. She couldn’t believe her ears. Why would Chara wish to die? They had seemed happy with the Dreemurrs. She and Asgore had loved them so much, and she thought they had felt the same…

Asriel continued his confession. “And you know why we did it? For me to take their Soul… To use it to cross the barrier, and to… to…”

Toriel frantically shook her head, backing away in growing fear. No! No no NO! Please not that plan… Not what she suggested Asgore should have done, if he had really wanted to free monsters. Please…

“We just wanted to save everyone…” Asriel finished, his voice barely above a whisper. “But when the time came, I couldn’t do it. I just got us killed instead, and the rest… Well, you know the rest.”

Toriel fell to her knees, her eyes staring blankly ahead. It felt like her world was crumbling around her. Chara, who had really seemed to be opening up to their new family… had chosen to die. And Asriel – her dear, sweet Asriel, who wouldn’t hurt a fly – had helped them, all with the goal of killing six humans and breaking the barrier…

“Why…?” The question came out as a hoarse croak, and she barely recognized the voice that spoke as her own.

“We were the only ones that could do it…” He admitted softly. “Chara was the first human to fall down in forever, and…” Tears began to run down his face. “They… they loved us all so much, and they hated humans so much. And- and they hated themself so much…”

Another shard pierced Toriel’s heart. Chara had done it… out of hate? And out of love? How could she not have seen that? She had known how aloof Chara had been and how uncomfortable they were with being human. That was why she tried so hard to reassure Conor that he did not have to hate who he was. And yet… She had no idea it had gone this far for Chara, to see their own life as worth nothing…

Once again, she had failed her children.

And there was Asriel in front of her, the invisible gulf between them now clear as day and only widening further. It felt like she was losing him again – not to death this time, but to something that felt just as final; just as impossible to heal.

NO!! By some miracle she had him back, even if he was not exactly the same. We all change in our own ways. Recalling that thought, Toriel realized at that moment that it didn’t matter if he was different. He was still Asriel, and she would NOT lose him again.

“I am sorry, Asriel.” Her voice was stronger now, though still sounded thin and shaky to her own ears. “I cannot hate you, no matter how much you may want me to.” However, her composure began to falter. “It- it feels like Asgore and I have done everything wrong since you died. He went to war with the surface, and I…” She took a deep, trembling breath. “I ran away and hid. I tried to prevent such a tragedy from happening again, but I couldn’t. And though we are on the surface now, under a brilliant sun… I still cannot escape the shadow of the Ruins.”

Toriel tried to swallow, but her mouth felt far too dry. “Am I trying to hold onto you too tight? Are the shadows in my own heart keeping it apart from yours? I know I am letting you down, just like I did before, but please tell me how, Asriel. I… I do not want to lose you again.”

Asriel had been listening in silence, his face a growing mask of sorrow. When Toriel delivered her final line, he gasped, and his eyes began to glisten. “You… you’re NOT letting us down, Mom. This is just… hard… for everyone. Really, I let you d-”

Before Asriel could finish his sentence, Toriel brought him into a fierce hug. If it was his own pain that kept them apart, then she would do all she could to ease it. “I may not know how to solve all of our problems. Perhaps all we really need is time, or perhaps there is something more…” She gave him another squeeze. “But I will ALWAYS give you and Conor and Frisk all of my love. And nothing you have done or will do could EVER change that.” She scrunched up her eyes, feeling tears well around the corners. “Perhaps love is not enough… but for what it is worth… I will NEVER stop giving you mine.”

Asriel did not say anything, but Toriel felt his paws clutch her tightly, like a lifeline in a stormy sea. It reminded her of when he was younger and desperately needed her warmth and physical presence after a terrifying nightmare… when he needed to know she was real and there for him.

I know in some ways the nightmare is not yet over for you, my son, or for any of us… but we can face it together. I promise.

Chapter Text

Sunscreen?

“(Check.)”

Extra money?

“(Check.)”

Swimsuit?

Frisk rolled their eyes at this last item on Chara’s checklist. “(You know I’m already wearing it under my clothes.)”

Just making sure you weren’t saying ‘check’ without really listening.

Frisk sighed. “(It’s possible to be overprepared, you know.)”

Well, I have never been to the beach before, so I want to make sure it will be a memorable time for both of us.

“(Wait, really?)” Frisk was aware that many of the monsters would not have been to a beach on the surface before, which was why when Frisk had suggested a Saturday trip to the shores of Ebott Lake, all their friends had jumped at the chance. However, they also knew that Chara had grown up in the area (albeit about a century ago); surely someone had taken them there.

Yes, really. Chara answered Frisk’s incredulity with calm, almost cold detachment. ‘Problem’ children don’t tend to be rewarded with trips to nice places.

“(We’ll get you there by yourself sometime, too,)” Frisk promised. The thought reminded them, “(Have you decided on a body yet?)”

No, not yet, Chara replied. I have time, though. Don’t forget that Alphys still has to refine the Soul-splitting technology from her prototype in Mew Mew, not to mention how busy the Kingdom is keeping her with other projects – ones that are far more important than mine.

Frisk conceded the point (though they weren’t fond of how Chara kept putting themself down), grabbing their bag and dashing downstairs. Their parents were already ready and waiting (for the most part); their dad had started the car, and their mom was just hunting for her sunglasses.

At the sound of their descent down the stairs, she glanced up towards them. “All ready to go, then?”

“Yep!” Frisk answered cheerfully.

“And you put your sunscreen on?”

Frisk groaned. Between Chara and their mom, it was like hearing the reminders in stereo. “Yes, Mom.”

“Even on the back of your neck and your ear-”

“Yes, Mom.” Frisk bounced around a little in impatience. “When can we go? We’ll be the last ones there!”

Though spoken in annoyance, the clear eagerness in Frisk’s plea seemed to soften their mother’s features. “We’re just about ready. If you head to the car, I’ll head out and lock up just as soon as I – aha!” Reaching into a jacket pocket, she proudly produced the previously-missing sunglasses. “Perfect. I’ll be right behind you, dear.”

Frisk raced to the back seat of the car, dumping their small bag beside them; they only needed a few essentials, really, so they had packed light (despite Chara’s nagging).

The beach was on the opposite side of Ebott City from the section of suburbs now part of Sun Home, so the journey was extended by moderate traffic, all going the same direction.

“With such warm weather, I guess everyone had the same idea,” Frisk’s father commented from the driver’s seat.

Their mother nodded from next to him. “Yes, and so early, too. It’s a good thing we left when we did; it’ll only get worse later in the morning.”

Wasn’t she the reason they’d left so late in the first place??

Frisk’s mom turned around further to face them, one eyebrow raised. “Now don’t give me that look. Outside of my sunglasses, I seem to recall that a certain young ‘ambassadorial assistant’ was actually the last one ready to go.”

Frisk sank into their seat a little. The light tone and slight upwards curve of her mouth had taken the sting out of any accusation, but they did suddenly feel like their own ‘righteous’ outrage did not have a leg to stand on.

The rest of the journey passed smoothly, especially since the family took a few shortcuts that they had picked up from their numerous prior outings. Though neither of Frisk’s parents were the most outdoor-loving people, they often enjoyed picnics, bike rides, and relaxation around the waterfront – all experiences Frisk was hoping to share with their new friends.

If only I’d gone to the mountain a few months earlier, Frisk thought. Then we’d have had the whole summer to do this!

After Frisk’s dad had found a good parking spot, the three of them unpacked everything they needed from the back of the car, including an umbrella, blankets, and a small cooler for cold drinks. They would normally have brought a picnic basket as well, but when they had all been making plans for today, Toriel had offered to provide lunch.

Frisk stayed with their parents long enough to finish ‘establishing a home base’ (as they and their dad liked to call it), but their restlessness was clear as day. Halfway into setting up, their parents took pity on them and let them go.

“Don’t worry,” their father said. “We’ll finish up here. You go play with your friends.”

“Yes,” their mother agreed. “We know you’ve been looking forward to this, and I think I see Asgore and Toriel over there.” She pointed further down the beach, where two large white forms stood head-and-shoulders above the humans between them and Frisk.

“Hah, yeah; they are pretty easy to spot!” Frisk quickly removed the clothing on top of their swimwear, then began to dash off before they remembered their manners. Turning around, they said a quick, “Thanks Mom! Thanks Dad!” before returning to their original trajectory.

As they got closer, Frisk noticed that Asriel and Conor were there too, each already wearing colourful swimming trunks and standing next to Asgore. Toriel had a large picnic basket by her feet and appeared to still be greeting the others. By the time Frisk was near enough to hear, she was mid-conversation.

“-and after that situation with the delegate, well, I am glad that you could make it at all.”

Asgore nodded cheerfully. “Yes, that could have been a bit of a problem. But here we all are, and I don’t know about you, but I could definitely use this opportunity for a bit of relaxation.”

Toriel inclined her head in acknowledgement. “I cannot say I disagree.” However, before she spoke further, she glanced up and spotted Frisk, her face brightening at the sight. “Ah, Frisk. Greetings! It is good to see you!”

Asriel was murmuring something to himself while staring at the lake while Conor whispered something in his ear, but hearing Frisk’s name electrified them both. Each of them immediately twisted to face them, the sudden movement suggesting that they had been jolted out of some distraction.

Asriel’s voice was still full of awe as he greeted Frisk. “Hi Frisk! Why didn’t you tell us the lake was this big? It makes the one down in Waterfall look like a puddle!”

Frisk raised an eyebrow. “Uh, I did. Twice. You just weren’t listening.”

“I was there, so I can confirm it,” Conor told him. “But it’s still hard not to be surprised, right? It’s just SO big.”

Conor seemed to be speaking from experience, making Frisk wonder. “Oh, you’ve been here before?” they asked, remembering Chara’s whole situation.

Conor nodded in response. “Just once, yeah.” His eyes briefly lost focus, distracted by a memory of the past. “… It was really nice of them.”

Asriel had gone back to staring at the water while the conversation shifted, shuffling restlessly. “C’mon, let’s go swimming!” he pleaded with Frisk and Conor. “It’s right there!”

Without waiting for a response, he raced towards the shoreline. Conor gave a start, then chased after him, calling out, “Hey! Wait up, Az!”

Frisk smiled to themself and looked back at Toriel and Asgore, who both appeared to be chuckling.

“You should join them, Frisk,” Toriel urged them onwards. “It is a while yet before lunch, so I have plenty of time to prepare.”

“I can certainly help you set everything up,” Asgore volunteered.

Toriel examined him for a moment, only her eyes wincing ever-so-briefly; however, she soon acquiesced. “That would be most helpful. Thank you, Asgore.”

Well, Frisk? Chara asked. You’re not going to miss all the fun, are you?

Frisk let their legs do the talking, sprinting down to the water and almost catching up to Asriel by the time he reached the lapping surf. The three of them waded right into the water, though they immediately began to shiver from the surprising chill. Ebott Lake was deep as well as wide, and a few days of warm weather were not enough to warm it entirely; not after the weeks of cool temperatures before.

“Oof! That’s c-cold!” Conor exclaimed when he was about waist-deep (with waves often bringing the water up to his chest).

Frisk, however, was enjoying the refreshing cool after the heat of the sand. “I know. It’s nice, isn’t it?”

“Uh, if you say so.”

“Seems fine to me,” Asriel commented, deeper in and treading water, “but it’s even colder in Waterfall, so…”

“You’ll get used to it quick,” Frisk reassured Conor as they advanced further into the water until they no longer felt support beneath their feet. They then gave Asriel a pointed glance. “Just no splashing, OK?”

Asriel looked sincerely offended. “He just said it was cold. I’m not heartless, you know!” He swam further out, temporarily sinking so that only his head was above the water, which made his ears float on the surface to either side of him. “At least this isn’t saltwater.”

Frisk just relaxed for a little while, relying only on gentle movements to keep themself afloat. Conor swam a few laps around them before settling down– perhaps to acclimate to the temperature, or just to burn off excess energy. The latter seemed more likely when, after about fifteen minutes, he asked, “Since we’re out here, want to race or something?”

“We’d need a target to aim for,” Asriel noted, “but yeah, I’d be up for that.”

Still relaxing, Frisk lazily spun in place, searching for a possible endpoint. Spotting a flash of pink almost hidden by the glare of the sun reflecting off the lake, Frisk squinted to try and make out the source.

“Oh, hey! That’s Alphys over there!” They splashed the surface, sending a spray of droplets to indicate the direction. “See? We should go say hi; we could even make a race out of it, since you wanted a goal.”

“Sounds good to me,” Asriel replied.

“Me too!” Conor agreed.

Since it was just the three of them for the moment, Chara felt confident enough to speak out loud. “I can announce the start,” they offered. “So that none of you will have an advantage.”

“Good idea, Chara,” Asriel said.

Frisk heard Chara clear their throat within their head (was that necessary, or just a built-up habit?) before they began the countdown. “Okay… Three. Two. One. Go!”

The three of them began a fierce competition, starting off neck-in-neck for the initial stretch. However, while Asriel was obviously trying hard, it was clear that his wet fur was slowing him down, leaving Frisk and Conor to barely eke out ahead. Neither of them appeared willing to give up the lead to the other, and they remained nearly equal until they got close to Alphys, when Frisk dug down deep for one last burst of energy, managing to pull ahead.

They were ready to declare victory, their mouth open to call out a greeting to Alphys, when a sudden swell rose up from their left. The resulting wave washed over them and Conor, travelling far enough to splash Asriel as well.

The source of the mysterious surge quickly resolved itself into a dripping and grinning Undyne, her subtle scales glistening in the sunlight. “Hah! Gotcha! You three may be pretty agile on land, but the water’s still MY domain!!”

Frisk could not yet reply, as they were busy coughing out the water that had gotten into their open mouth.

Alphys must have heard all the noise, as she turned around within her bright pink inner tube (covered with cartoon cat faces making various silly expressions). “Oh! Frisk! A-are you OK? Why did you do that, Undyne?”

Undyne gave a faintly sheepish grin. “Well, it was gonna be for you – a test of your swimming reflexes! – but when I saw the three kids coming over, I just couldn’t resist!”  Her embarrassment intensified as she looked over Frisk. “Guess I got a bit carried away… I can get you back to shore in no time if you need it!”

Frisk raised a hand to pair with the last of their coughs, trying to convey that the worst was over. Finally, they could speak enough to say, “I’m OK… Just… ugh.” After a few more moments, they took a few deep breaths, exaggerating the sounds to make them obvious. “See? No problem!”

Well, Chara commented dryly, I suppose if you didn’t let Undyne stop you from getting home back in Waterfall, I shouldn’t be surprised that you won’t let her stop you from enjoying the swim. I could even make a joke about how you are determined to enjoy yourself… but we both know I would never stoop so low.

Frisk blinked, startled by the humour; Chara must really have been enjoying the swim. They glanced up to see Undyne was still studying them carefully, though more likely for any sign of injury.

“Looks like you’re not so bad in the water, yourself,” she said. “I was helping Alphys practice, but we were just taking a break.”

“Yeah,” Alphys explained. “This is like a… a mobile recovery point where I can restore my stamina!” She then leaned in closer to Frisk. “(The swimming thing is m-more because Undyne likes it, though…)”

“Taking a break?” Conor inquired. “How long have you been here, then?”

“About an hour or two!” Undyne happily declared. “We’ve been waiting for all of you!”

“If you three are here…” Alphys chimed in. “Then everyone else probably is, too.”

Undyne reached upwards in an exaggerated stretch. “Well, guess that means we oughta head back. We can always come back to the water later and fit some more training in!”

“Y-yeah, sure…” Alphys agreed half-heartedly before suggesting, “Orrrrr, w-we could go back early and lounge around on the sofa and watch more cat videos.”

“Pfft, they do get up to some crazy stuff!” Undyne glanced over at Frisk and the others. “You three gonna stay out here, then? I can keep an eye out from the beach in case you get into any trouble!”

Frisk looked at Asriel and Conor, curious what they would prefer.

“I’m OK to go back,” Conor said.

“Yeah,” Asriel agreed. “I think I just want to dry off at this point.”

Undyne escorted the four of them back to shore, slowing down to avoid outpacing Alphys. Upon reaching land, Alphys breathed a sigh of relief. “Ah, warm and dry. This is m-much more like Hotland.” She perked her head at some nearly-inaudible sound. “Oh! That was my phone! Maybe someone commented on my movie review!”

Alphys dashed back to her blanket, though Undyne was slow to follow. She shook her head fondly. “I should’ve figured I was keeping her away from her tech for too long. At least she’s getting a lot better in the water. The training’s really paying off!”

I wonder if bursting out of the water like that was part of the ‘training,’ too, Chara pondered.

“(Knowing Undyne, it probably was,)” Frisk whispered back, chuckling softly to themself.

At the same time, Conor gave a minor jolt of remembrance. “Oh, Undyne; while you’re here, I wanted to show you something! I’ll be right back.” He quickly dashed back to his family’s umbrella, fishing an object out of the large bag that was sitting there, stuffed to bursting with various items.

Conor returned wearing a dark pair of sunglasses, standing proudly in front of Undyne. “We got these just yesterday! How do I look? Pretty cool, huh?”

Undyne tilted her head, thoughtful. “Not bad, kid. I’d recommend a full helmet if you want to go REALLY intimidating, though.” She flashed a smile that glinted in the bright sun. “Works every time for me!”

“I was more thinking it’s like a secret identity,” Conor explained. “Maybe like a prince walking among his people, but they don’t have a clue it’s him!”

Frisk cocked their head. “What do you mean ‘like’ a prince? You’re kind of describing yourself already, except for the fact it’s pretty obvious you’re you.” They tapped the horns on top of his head. “These are kind of a big giveaway.”

Conor seemed to take this into consideration. “I guess I could always wear a hood…”

Asriel sighed. “I think you’ve been reading a bit too much ‘Ruler of the Jewellery,’ Conor. I’m pretty sure royalty doesn’t tend to go around in secret, hiding who they are.”

Undyne intervened on Conor’s behalf. “Sure, but why not? I’ve seen tons of princes and princesses that go around under a secret identity! People usually think they’re frail and innocent and try to fight them.” She pumped a fist. “Then they just kick their butts with some flashy swordfighting!” She struck a combat pose, briefly conjuring a cyan spear that shot into the ground with a small spray of sand. “That may not be real history and all, but why not start a new tradition here and now?”

Conor removed the sunglasses, his eyes shining. “Yeah! A secret hero, helping people from the shadows without them even knowing who he is! Serving the kingdom and its people!”

“Oh yeah! I’m into it!” Undyne declared, pumping her fists.

Asriel brought a paw to his face. “Frisk, please help; there’s two of them…”

Frisk merely took a step back, grinning mischievously. “I mean, he’s your brother…”

“Yeah, and he’s your best friend,” Asriel retorted.

Conor tilted his head at this. “I mean, it feels to me like you’re both-”

Asriel rolled his eyes, interrupting. “You only get one. That’s why it’s BEST friend, and not ‘one of my better friends.’”

Conor seemed to take this personally. “So we have to choose? Why? That’s not fair! It’s like asking if you prefer cinnamon or butterscotch: they’re both great, but even better together!”

Frisk became distracted by the example. “But wouldn’t Toriel have asked you that question when you fell down into the Underground, like she asked me?”

Conor’s cheeks flushed. “… Yeah, but it took me ages to decide. I even said I’d have to call her back!”

Asriel leaned in, now fully invested in the story himself. “Wait, so THAT’S what was taking you so long back then?? Which did you even choose in the end?”

“Yeah, don’t leave us hanging!” Undyne added, also moving closer.

Conor’s blush of embarrassment deepened. “I… I might have asked why it couldn’t be both…” He began to smile at the memory. “Then she laughed and said she’d hoped I would like them together, anyway.” He firmly faced both Frisk and Asriel. “So you see? I chose both then, and I’d really like to choose both now!”

Asriel stared at both Frisk and Conor for a long time, seemingly lost in thought. Finally, it was Frisk who broke the silence when they stuck out their hand and suggested, “Both?”

This seemed to end Asriel’s pondering, and he broke out into a slow smile. “… Heh, sure. If it means I can still call Chara my best friend and add you two to the list, that can’t be a bad thing.” He took the proffered hand and shook it, leaning close to Frisk as he did. On a whispered breath, he added, “(And it is still true you know, Chara.)”

Chara was silent within Frisk’s head, but a faint mix of happiness and guilt carried through their bond. Frisk smiled once more, speaking softly in return. “(Good.)”

With this decided, Frisk glanced back over towards the direction Alphys had headed. However, their vision was now interrupted by a new umbrella, one with a familiar short skeleton lounging beneath it.

Frisk strolled over, beaming at their skeletal friend. “Hey Sans!”

Sans lifted up a corner of the star-patterned sleep mask on his face, revealing a glinting eye socket beneath. “oh. heya frisk. i’d wave, but the ocean’s doing enough of that for the both of us.” Frisk heard a snort from Conor and a groan from Asriel behind them, but managed to keep their own face resolute.

Undyne strode over. “Glad you could make it, Sans. You’re not just gonna lie around the whole time, though, right? I mean, I’d hate for you to miss out on sand wrestling, sand baseball, or sand hockey!”

Frisk blinked a few times. How would you even play some of those??

Sans, however, appeared unperturbed, letting his mask fall back into place and stretching into an even more relaxed position. “i dunno, i’m pretty comfy here.”

“But you can just lie down at home!” Undyne argued.

“yeah, but then i wouldn’t get this view.”

“YOU’VE GOT YOUR EYES COVERED!!!”

Sans shrugged. “doesn’t mean it isn’t there, unless you want to get all philosophical about it.” He wiggled a bony leg. “besides, maybe i’ll pick up a tan.”

Frisk raised an eyebrow. “I, uh… don’t think that’s how it-” However, they stopped themself there. Sans was a skeleton monster after all, not a human skeleton. Who knew how things would work? Even the monsters might not have a solid idea, after being without the sun for so long.

They then heard a gasp from Conor behind them. “You all remembered your sunscreen, right?”

“Of course!” Frisk replied.

“Well, I figured you would,” Conor said, “but I wasn’t sure if the monsters knew-”

“Would the sun even get through the fur?” Asriel asked. “And if it does, how would we even get sunscreen on?”

“I don’t really know about the first part, but I think there’s sprays humans use for hair…” Conor replied, thinking hard. “Maybe those would work?”

“papyrus made sure i put some on,” Sans answered the original question. “i dunno if we really need it, but it seemed important to him.”

“Alphys used some too, just in case,” Undyne explained. “But I say let the sun take its best shot! I’ll be ready for it!!”

Frisk smiled and shook their head; perhaps the sun had finally met its match. A movement out of the corner of their eye caught their attention, and they turned to see MK dashing towards them along the sand. They must have just arrived themself.

“Yo!!!!” they called out excitedly as they approached, tail lashing energetically behind them. “Isn’t this awesome? I didn’t think the ocean could be so huge!!”

Asriel rolled his eyes. “This is just a lake, you know.”

Frisk couldn’t help but laugh at this show of disinterest. “Hah! Don’t pretend you weren’t impressed by it earlier.” Turning to MK, they explained, “But yeah, the ocean’s even bigger than this!”

MK’s eyes nearly swallowed the rest of their face. “Whoa!! Really!? But I can’t even see the other side!”

Conor answered, “I mean, it’s definitely a big lake.”

“On a really clear day, you can just barely spot the other shore,” Frisk explained sagely as an old veteran to the region. “There’s not much there, though. The city and stuff are all on this side.”

This seemed to excite MK further. “It’s all sorta empty? So monsters could live there, too? Maybe we could have a HUGE bridge that goes across! Or the River Person could take people over!”

“hm, the kiddo’s not wrong,” Sans commented from behind them. “we’ll take any space on the surface we can get.”

“We can ask Mom and Dad to check…” Conor responded pensively. “I mean, two cities joined across a lake sounds pretty cool.”

Asriel shrugged. “It’s worth a try. The worst people can do is say no. That land probably used to be ours, anyway… historically and all.”

“Do the humans even care about that, though?” Undyne wondered, frowning faintly.

Frisk felt like they had to speak up on behalf of their species. “I’m sure they do! I mean, no one likes being blamed for something their great-great-great-great… er… great-great… great? … grandparents did, but I think they also know we all owe you guys something.”

Everyone remained silent for a few seconds, staring out over the lake as though the opposite bank were just within reach.

MK was the first to break the sombre mood. “Well, if we get another city or not, we’ve got some cool stuff here! I saw ice cream and stuff set up for sports and everything!”

Undyne’s head jerked up at the word ‘sports.’ “Yeah!! That’s what we should do! Who’s up for a game of volleyball?”

A chorus of agreement rose up from the kids.

“Great!” Undyne said, beginning to turn around. “I’ll go see if Papyrus and Alphys are up for it! Can you kids check if Asgore or Toriel wanna join?”

“Sure!” Conor answered for all four of them. Hearing the affirmation, Undyne sprinted off to Alphys’ blanket.

The four friends turned around to walk to the Dreemurr’s beach umbrella, Asriel squelching along the way. “Ugh, wet fur is just the worst.”

 “Sounds like you’d better enjoy not having it while you can, Conor,” Frisk teased.

Conor’s face paled by one shade. “I mean, it can’t be that bad… can it?”

The corner of Asriel’s mouth began to creep up into a sly smile. “Well, it does have its advantages…” He surreptitiously moved closer to his brother until he was right next to him. “It means I can do THIS!” He suddenly shook his entire body, scattering water droplets everywhere, but especially over Conor.

“H-hey!” Conor sputtered. “No fair!”

Asriel sighed happily, looking distinctly less soaked. “Much better.”

Conor (now looking distinctly more soaked) scowled, holding up a silver flame near his face. “You could have just used some fire magic to dry off, you know.”

Asriel shrugged, still smiling. “Yeah, I know.” Conor gave an exasperated sigh in response.

“(Did he ever do that to you?)” Frisk asked Chara.

Only once, their voice replied within Frisk’s head. I quickly learned to stay away from a wet Asriel after that. I didn’t take long to get my revenge, though; don’t worry about that.

Upon reaching their parents, Asriel and Conor moved slightly ahead of Frisk and MK to make the request.

“Hey Mom!” Conor called out.

“Hey Dad,” Asriel said.

The two adult Dreemurrs sat up from their respective relaxation; while the two of them were facing nearly opposite directions, at least they were both under the same extra-large umbrella.

Asgore was the first to speak, looking around at the four friends. “Howdy, kids! Not getting into too much trouble, I hope.”

“Nope!” Conor responded brightly. “We’re going to play volleyball with Undyne and the others!”

“Do you want to join us?” Asriel finished.

Toriel blinked, apparently surprised at the question. Then, a smile began to bloom across her features. “How could we possibly refuse such an earnest invitation?”

Asgore tapped his paws together. “Yes, some friendly competition could be just what we need right now. Where is it going to be?”

Conor and Asriel looked at each other, seemingly baffled. “Uh…”

MK stepped in. “I saw the net! I can show you guys!” They immediately turned around and sprinted towards the far end of the beach, but some of the loose sand shifted beneath their claws and they went down with an, “Oof!”

Frisk winced in sympathy and began to move closer, but MK practically jumped straight up from their prone position and began to run again, seemingly unperturbed. They waved their tail in a beckoning motion as they dashed. “Come on! It’s this way!”

When all six of them reached the volleyball net, they noticed that Undyne had not just brought Alphys and Papyrus; Mettaton and Sans were there, too. Mettaton was seemingly prepared for the sun, as he was wearing a pair of large heart-shaped (or were those human-Soul-shaped?) sunglasses with pink-tinted lenses.

“Woah, those are really spectac-ular,” Conor commented from beside Frisk. Frisk heard Chara give a loud groan within their head.

Spotting their approach, Undyne waved them all over. “Hey Asgore! Hey Toriel! Glad the kids could talk you into coming!”

Asgore smiled warmly at Undyne. “We’d have hated to miss it.”

“Ah, the band’s all back together again,” Mettaton said, giving an audible sniffle. “It really brings a tear to your eye, doesn’t it?” He immediately turned around to an orange-brown cat-like monster behind him, who was holding a large video camera. “I hope you’re recording all of this! It’ll make a great pilot for ‘Love, Sports, and Beauteous Robots!’”

The other monster gave a long sigh. “Yes sir, we’ve got it.” He then seemed to mutter something to himself, though Frisk only managed to catch, “(At least… don’t have… ridiculous outfit…)”

Undyne scowled at the recording. “Ugh, I’m just gonna ignore that camera.” She then looked around over the assembled group. “Alright! So now we’ve gotta split up into teams. There’s ten of us, so that’ll be easy to-”

“But there’s eleven of us,” Asriel stated matter-of-factly.

“my brother will be refereeing this match!” Papyrus declared, clearly proud of the important job Sans was undertaking.

Frisk stared at Sans in surprise. “Huh? Why?”

Sans merely shrugged in response. “i dunno. people seem to think i’m good at judging things for some reason.” Frisk could have sworn that his ever-present smile was slightly wider than usual. “besides, you’ve all got this. you don’t need me.”

Anything else Sans might have said was lost when Undyne called out, “Hey! Why are you kids all over there? We’ve still gotta make up the teams!”

Frisk swiftly turned around, suggesting, “I mean, the four of us are almost a whole team already.”

“Yeah!” MK enthusiastically agreed. “It can be kids vs. grown-ups!”

“We’d still need at least one grown-up,” Asriel pointed out. “Unless you want it four against six.”

Alphys gave Frisk a fleeting glance, her eyes begging forgiveness. “I-I’d rather stay on Undyne’s team… if that’s alright.”

“do not fret, my friends,” Papyrus declared, striding over to their side of the court. “i, the great papyrus, shall assist you!”

“now you’ll definitely be ok, if you’ve got my bro with ya,” Sans said from behind Frisk.

“Maybe a little bit of impartiality from the referee???” Undyne objected. Sans merely continued to grin, saying nothing.

Mettaton took the opportunity to fill the resulting silence. Staring at both Frisk and Conor, he gave an elaborate shrug of apology. “It looks like we’re cursed to remain rivals on stage, darlings. Are you ready to give them a show they won’t forget?”

Frisk eyed the camera. Shifting their attention back to Mettaton, they couldn’t help but smile back. “You bet.”

“Just be careful, alright, children?” Toriel advised. “I cannot promise that everyone will hold back.” She paired these words with a pointed glare aimed at the back of Undyne’s head.

“Hold back??” Conor protested. “If we win, we want it because we beat you fair and square!”

“(I mean, I’ll take any win, really,)” Asriel whispered in Frisk’s ear, who smiled and shook their head.

It’s hardly your fault if they underestimate you. You’ve already given them plenty of examples of your strength and resilience.

“(Aww, thanks, Chara,)” Frisk responded. They then turned to Conor, Asriel, MK, and Papyrus. “If they think we can’t handle it, then let’s prove them wrong.”

After these confident words, the match itself was soon underway. Asgore was the first to serve, and Frisk found his hit to be frustratingly gentle. They hit the ball back with perhaps a little more force than necessary, but Mettaton stretched his arms to twice their length and bashed it back to their side of the court.

After several rounds, it became clear to Frisk that while their side was holding their own, the average height disparity was not in their favour. MK was surprisingly skilled at hitting the ball with their head and tail, even getting a solid spike with one particularly enthusiastic leap. However, the projectiles still went over their head more often than not.

Conor, too, had some issues with reach, and when he reflexively brought out his shield to bump the just-barely-too-far ball, Undyne protested, “Hey! I thought we were trying to avoid magic! Keep it fair and all!”

Conor looked over towards Sans, who answered, “sorry, bud. i don’t make the rules.” Conor sighed and dismissed the shield.

Still, when it became clear that the kids (and Papyrus) were performing quite well despite this handicap, the other side (at least, Undyne and Mettaton) must have decided to stop holding back. This was made quite clear during the final point of the match, when Undyne spiked the ball so hard that it buried itself in the beach with a massive spray of sand.

Asriel, who had been front-and-centre for this excessive display of force, narrowed his eyes with a face now caked in sand. He remained completely motionless until Conor walked up and put a hand on his shoulder. “Az?”

Asriel glanced up at Undyne, who was celebrating the game-winning point. “Whoo!” she cheered. “Did you see that shot, Alphys? Let’s do that again!”

“I’m OK, Conor,” Asriel growled in a low voice. “But I’m not really in the mood for a rematch.”

Frisk figured they ought to try and break the tension. “How about we get some ice cream and cool off? My parents gave me a bit of money.”

“Sounds good to me,” Conor agreed. “Dad gave us some…” He glanced back at his bag by their blanket. “Well, I think it’s gold, but a lot of people take that now, right? Not just monsters?”

“Ooh! Maybe we can go by the water, too!” MK suggested. “I spotted some rocks we can sit on right by the edge!”

After that excitement, a slower pace would be welcome, Chara said in Frisk’s head. As much as I enjoyed watching you actually lose at something, neither of us wants to feel the strain in your muscles from another match.

“(Really, Chara?)” Frisk muttered, feeling slightly insulted. They had enjoyed Frisk losing? Whose side were they on, anyway?

Chara must have felt their indignation. If it means you might stop thinking that ‘saving’ monsterkind is still entirely up to you, then I’ll take a bruised ego any day.

Even if Chara had a point, this didn’t really help Frisk feel any better about themself, which might have explained the slight edge in their voice as they told Undyne and the other adults, “We’re going to get some ice cream… but you guys have fun.”

Toriel and Asgore both tilted their heads in mild concern, neither noticing the mirrored gesture of the other. Undyne, however, appeared not to mind in the slightest. “OK!” She turned around to the remaining players. “How about we go for a REAL challenge this time? All of you against me!”

Frisk, Asriel, Conor, and MK left the group before they could hear the response from the other monsters. However, as they continued to walk away, Frisk found themself faintly curious who would win in such a situation.

It didn’t take much searching to find an ice cream cart along the waterfront, with so many taking advantage of the warm weather to clear their stock before the chill of autumn returned in full force. What was trickier was finding one that did not have a kilometre-long queue. Eventually, the four friends spotted a cart staffed by a cheerful blue rabbit monster who was giving out ice cream to a short-but-growing line of both monsters and humans. Frisk and the others quickly got into the queue, which began to build up further behind them; it seemed like everyone was having the same idea in this heat.

When they reached the head of the line, the blue rabbit-like monster beamed warmly at the four kids in front of him. “Hello! Are you here for some Nice Cream? It’s the frozen treat that warms your heart!” He leaned forward slightly, examining Frisk, Conor, and Asriel more closely. “Hey, I recognize you three! You got us all up the surface! And business is just booming up here! You and your friend-” He inclined his head towards MK. “- just have to get a ‘freeing-us-all’ discount, for sure!”

Frisk wasn’t sure they would ever get used to being recognized by almost every monster, and both Conor and Asriel appeared faintly uncomfortable as well.

Only MK looked excited, their eyes shining. “They are pretty awesome.” However, their voice fell when they added, “I didn’t really do anything, though…”

The blue bunny looked the four of them over. “You’re all here together, right?” They nodded in response. “Then I insist! It’s the least I can do!”

“Can we have one each then, please?” Conor asked politely, holding up some of the gold he had been carrying.

Frisk hurriedly got out their own money before Conor offered to pay for all of them. The blue rabbit took their payment (with the included discount) and served up four Nice Creams.

“Here you go! Have an amazing day!” He then appeared pensive for a moment. “You know, I thought I’d need a nice chilly day to sell some delicious frozen ice cream, but I’m almost sold out already!” He leaned over to one side, seeming to peer at the queue behind the four friends. Frisk glanced over their shoulder, spotting RG01 and RG02 holding hands in the line. “Scratch that; I think I might run out even sooner than I thought. You four are lucky you got here in time!”

As the bunny monster passed out the ice creams, Conor took his own and offered to MK, “I can hold yours for you, if you want.”

“Yo, thanks!” MK replied gratefully. “Papyrus is teaching me blue magic, but I’m not very good at it yet. I’d probably just drop it in the sand…”

“You can just learn other kinds of magic like that?” Frisk inquired, now intensely curious.

MK nodded as they all walked towards the water. “Yep! It’s super-tough, though.”

Conor leapt into an additional explanation with surprising eagerness. “Ooh! I remember reading about that! Some monsters compared it to stuff like learning a new instrument or a new language… but some others got really, er, ‘philosophical’ about it. They said it was more like a new way of looking at the world! So, if you want to learn new magic, you’ve got to see things through someone else’s eyes.”

“Maybe that’s why it’s so hard…” MK reasoned.

Frisk suspected they now understood why Conor was so excited by the subject. “You’d probably be pretty good at learning other magic, then.”

Conor gave a shy smile. “You think so?”

“If it works like you said, then sure.”

Conor hesitated. “That’s just one theory, though; there’s sooo many others.” He considered this fact for a moment. “It’s kind of weird, really. Magic’s so important to monsters, but there’s still a ton they don’t know about it.”

They had reached the waterline now. The sandy beach was still very busy, but Asriel spotted some rocks that jutted out into the water. Still barefoot from their earlier activities, they all sat on the edge and dipped their toes into the lake. The resulting sensations from the warm rock and cool water felt a little odd to Frisk, but they eventually got used to it.

Chara had apparently taken the time they were settling comfortably to consider Conor’s last statement. It’s not that big a surprise, really. Think how essential the Soul is to both humans and monsters. And yet it is also rather poorly understood. I don’t know about you, but I was aware that it left our bodies when we died… and that’s about it. Well, outside of all the various beliefs about where it went afterwards.

Chara had made a good point, and Frisk tried their best to convey it to the others. Before they spoke, they tapped the side of their forehead as an indicator to Conor and Asriel of where the idea had come from. MK did not yet know about Chara’s return, and Frisk was willing to respect their continued desire for privacy… for now. After all, they still firmly believed that Chara should reveal themself sooner rather than later, especially to their own parents.

After the subtle signal, Frisk explained, “Well, think how big a deal Souls are to humans, and monsters too. But we barely know anything about them!” They glanced over at Asriel. “Until you showed me my own Soul, I’d never even seen it before!”

“Woah, really?” MK asked incredulously. “But that’s, like, super-basic! What about when you got into a Fight or something?”

Frisk shook their head. “Only against a monster.”

Conor turned towards MK, nodding in agreement. “Frisk’s right; I’d never seen mine before, either. Maybe it takes little bit of magic to do that? I mean, it must be a super-tiny amount, since it was the first thing I could do, even before a spark or anything.” He then turned back to Frisk (or was it to Chara?). “But yeah, that’s a good point; there’s a lot of stuff that’s still a mystery. I guess that’s why Professor Boom – er, Alvin – is studying magic, to figure it out.”

Their entire conversation had been punctuated by licks at their own Nice Creams, but now each of the kids was reaching the end of their sweet treats. Frisk was the first to finish; as they did, they noticed that the wrapper had words on it.

“Hey, there’s something written on the inside!” they exclaimed. The words were handwritten in what must have been something waterproof, as they remained fully legible, despite the melting ice cream. “Mine says, ‘Are those claws natural?’”

…

They stared at the wrapper for a little longer, than glanced at their own fingernails, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh! I like when I get that one,” MK said, shifting to lean over Conor’s front to get a better look. “Even though it makes even less sense for me, heh.”

“Well, don’t leave us in suspense,” Asriel teased from closer to Frisk. “Are they natural? I suspect you had some work done to sharpen them.”

Frisk rolled their eyes, though with a faint smile. “It’s called letting them grow, Azzy.” They examined their own fingernails again; they probably could do with a trim, to be honest. “What does yours say, anyway?”

“I don’t know; I haven’t finished eating yet.”

“Then hurry up, slowpoke!”

MK piped up. “I’m done mine!” When Frisk nodded at them to continue, they read over their own wrapper. “‘Keep shining brighter than the sun!’” MK beamed. “Oh, cool! He must have added new ones for the surface!”

Aw, that’s actually a really nice one, Frisk thought to themself.

Chara must have felt the same, as they commented within their head, Hm. I would say that was more sugary sweet than the ice cream itself, but… it does sound rather kind.

“I’m done too,” Conor volunteered. Noticing the eyes of the others now on him, he read his wrapper out loud. “‘I love what you’ve done with your ears!’” He gave a shy smile at this, likely thinking of the ears on his illusion. “I know that was totally random and everything… but it still felt nice.”

“Yeah!” MK agreed. “That’s the point!” They then repeated the blue bunny’s Nice Cream slogan, clearly having heard it many times before. “It’s the frozen treat that warms your heart!”

“Well, Azzy?” Frisk inquired. “You’ve got to be done by now!”

Asriel turned up his snout in mock indignation. “It’s not my fault I take the time to actually savour my food!” However, he did have very little left, so he quickly finished the last of his ice cream before holding out the empty wrapper in front of him.

“‘On such a great day, you’re the greatest!’” After speaking these words, Asriel stared at the piece of paper for a while longer, his mouth half-open.

“Hey, maybe these aren’t so random after all,” Conor suggested, nudging his brother.

Asriel turned away, muttering an unconvinced, “(Maybe…)” under his breath.

They all remained quiet for a few minutes, basking in the warm sun, cool water, and the refreshing breeze blowing in off the lake. Frisk closed their eyes and just listened to the lapping of the waves and the faint general noise and chatter from the beach behind them. They only opened them again at the sound of a contented sigh from Conor.

“Ahhh. Now THIS is nice…”

“Yeah,” Frisk agreed. “It’s so much better now I can bring friends here.”

“I think I know what you mean…” Conor responded softly.

MK seemingly felt the same. “The Underground’s got some cool places to hang out, but up here on the surface? Under the sun and with you guys? This is just the best!”

Frisk wasn’t sure if they were expecting Asriel to add his own comment, but after a moment of silence, they glanced over to see him staring blankly out over the water. Conor must have noticed the same thing (or perhaps felt something through their link), as he gently asked, “You OK, Az?”

Asriel’s head did not move, but his eyes clearly shifted away from Conor. “I’m fine. It’s nothing.”

“Doesn’t seem like ‘nothing’ to me,” Frisk noted.

Frisk heard a low growl in Asriel’s throat at their insistence. “I said it’s nothing. Seriously, why do you two always-” Asriel caught himself midsentence, guilt flashing across his features. His voice dropped low and quiet. “This IS great. I just…” He returned to staring out at the azure waves. “Sometimes… it feels like it’ll all Reset and I’ll wake up as that flower again. I… I don’t…” His breath seemed to catch in his throat for a moment. “I don’t know if I can go through that again…” He broke his gaze, tilting his head away from the lake and closing his eyes; Frisk noticed faint droplets right at the corners. “It’s stupid, I know. I’ll be fine.”

“Asriel, listen,” Frisk said, surprised by their own serious tone. Asriel must have been startled by it too, as he actually obliged, turned to look Frisk straight in the eye. “You heard me before, right? I promised not to go back, and I meant it.”

“I know…” Asriel replied. “That’s what makes it so stupid. I really DO know you mean it, but I STILL can’t…”

“It’s not stupid,” Conor interjected. “Just… take your time, okay? I think that’s what we ALL need.”

Asriel opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed it again, turning back to stare out over the water. The sun was still high in the sky, and the sapphire lake sparkled in the early afternoon light. “Thanks…” he eventually said, still distracted by the visions in his mind’s eye.

The rest of the world seemed to fall away, and Frisk could almost believe that the four of them (five, counting Chara watching through their eyes) were the only ones witnessing the splendour in front of them. The reflections off of the shimmering water seemed to cast the entire moment in crystal, frozen outside of time.

Just being here like this, it’s… nice, Chara admitted in their head. I think we all needed something like this.

Frisk couldn’t have agreed more, and they were looking forward to what the rest of the day would bring.

Chapter Text

A few days after their beach excursion, Conor found himself trying to wrap his head around a difficult problem in math class. The groups had been assigned at random, so he didn’t have Asriel’s help this time; at least he was still with Frisk, though they tended to have as much trouble as he did. However, it was the third member of their group that was making him feel a little nervous.

“It’s not that bad, really,” Aysha was explaining to Frisk while Conor looked on. “It’s like a costume party where all the letters – like ‘x’ – are in disguise, and it could be any number under there. Sometimes we’re trying to pull the mask off and figure out who it is, and sometimes we’re using them to act like any number we want.”

Conor idly wondered if Chara was making any comments in Frisk’s head right now. Perhaps they were saying something like, “See, Frisk? That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.” … Or maybe not. Conor still felt like he didn’t know them well enough to predict anything about them. Still, it was nice hearing them when they could speak out loud; it was just a shame that there were often too many other people around to do so.

Conor sighed, realizing he was just distracting himself from his real concern. She’s fine talking to Frisk and helping them out, but hasn’t said a word to me since that time in the hallway. He wanted to say something himself, but still felt guilty about keeping her – and everyone else – in the dark about his own running away.

But he’d try. He really would.

When class was over, he caught her as she left the room on the way to recess. “Um, hi Aysha.”

She stopped and arched an eyebrow, but remained silent, just staring at him.

“I, uh…” Conor floundered. “I just… I’m sorry about… about running away and not telling you and all that.”

“Good.” Aysha started walking away once more.

Conor just stood there, blinking stupidly for a second. “Wait… what??” He felt like he had missed some key component of the conversation. She had seemed satisfied when she replied, in an almost ‘I told you so’ sort of way, so it probably wasn’t that he’d said the wrong thing. “Hey, wait! What do you mean, just ‘good?’”

Aysha stopped once again, turning back around to face him. However, as before, she did not speak; she simply stood there. Watching. Waiting.

Maybe she wanted a more thorough apology or explanation?

Conor stepped to the side of the hall to avoid any passing students. “I wasn’t trying to hurt anyone; I didn’t even really plan it or anything… But they were all asleep and I was so miserable and it… it seemed like my best shot at getting away.”

If Conor had been hoping to break her chilly reception, he had certainly succeeded. Aysha strode right up to him, jabbing a finger in his chest. “You should be sorry! I know how bad it was for you, but was that the only option? Going to a mountain that kids don’t come back from?”

“Is that…? I… I never intended to die…” Conor said, lowering his eyes.

Aysha threw her hands up in frustration. “Oh, great! So you were just being an idiot! That makes me feel SO much better.”

Conor felt his shoulders tense. Why was she being like this? “An idiot who turned out to be right!” he argued. “I got help down there. I even found a family!”

For as long as they’d let him stay… He still sometimes woke up convinced that today was the day; the day they’d finally tell him that they were sorry, but they just couldn’t keep him any longer. He angrily pushed those thoughts out of his head.

Aysha glanced around, likely to ensure they weren’t causing a scene. She pulled him closer to the lockers at the sides, then said in a harsh whisper, “That’s great – really! – but it’s not like WE knew that. Everyone thought you were dead, Conor. The school held a memorial service and everything!”

Conor took a step back in shock. “They… what??”

“You heard me. I figured you’d have at least realized that some of the teachers liked you. We all waited months, but when you never came back…”

Conor just stood there, still taking it all in. He wasn’t even sure what he could say. He had just assumed no one would miss him; that they’d barely even notice.

Aysha let out a breath. “Look… Just think about how it felt for us, OK? Like, ‘think before you act’ and all that stuff.”

Or maybe ‘look before you leap,’ Conor thought to himself. Literally, in the case of Mt. Ebott…

Conor hunched his shoulders. “I’m sorry. Really.”

Aysha rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I know; you said that already.”

Conor mentally chastised himself, remembering that she tended to find spoken apologies pretty useless. However, that still left him at a bit of a loss as to how to end the conversation. “Um… I guess I’ll see you in English tomorrow, then?”

“I guess so,” she answered cooly. “See you around.”

With that, they split up to go their separate ways. Conor spent the rest of recess trying to figure out if that had gone well or poorly. She seemed less annoyed by the end, at least, but he wasn’t sure if the core issue had actually been resolved. At least he now had more of an idea of what it was, though.

Lost in his own thoughts, the afternoon classes slipped right past Conor, and it wasn’t long before school was over for the day. As he reached the entrance to the building, he spotted Frisk and Asriel just up ahead.

Frisk was the first to notice him in return. “Hey Conor. Ready to try and stop more of Dr. Gloom’s evil schemes? I’ve got a good one planned this time.”

Conor shuffled guiltily. “Hi Frisk. Sorry, I’m going to be visiting Gerson and Alvin again. Mom’s dropping me off, so…”

“So she’s taking both of you,” Frisk reasoned. After Conor nodded, they turned to Asriel. “Chara and I can still come round, though, right?”

“Yeah,” Asriel replied. “Mom and I will just be home a little late. I’ll call you when we’re back.”

“Okay, I guess that’s not so bad. I’ll see you then!” Frisk turned back to Conor. “And good luck.”

“Thanks.”

Frisk walked off to head home, while Asriel and Conor waited a little longer for Toriel to finish up. Fortunately, it wasn’t too long before they saw her striding down the hallway, her bag stuffed nearly to bursting with papers. She greeted them both warmly, then walked with them to her car.

“I am sorry, Asriel, but you may not see much of me this afternoon,” she said as she started the engine and drove out of the parking lot. “I will be attending another royal advisory meeting tomorrow, so I must finish grading these tests tonight, preferably before our guests arrive for dinner.”

“It’s still OK if Frisk comes over, though, right?” Asriel asked.

“Of course! I will be glad to know you have the company. Speaking of company…” She glanced over her shoulder to address Conor in the back seat. “It is very kind of you to spend time with Gerson. I am certain he appreciates it.”

Conor boggled for a moment; he certainly felt like he was getting the better end of the deal. “His stories are great! I’m learning a lot.” Conor wasn’t lying, either; he really did enjoy Gerson’s tales (at least the ones where he could actually remember the details), and he had many fascinating insights into monster culture and biology as well. In fact, Conor was hoping to ask about bullet patterns this time; it seemed to be something monsters could do but humans couldn’t, and he wasn’t really sure why.

The question remained on Conor’s mind as Toriel dropped him off outside Gerson’s Junk Pile, though he almost forgot it in distracted musing while navigating the mazelike interior.

I don’t know why the store counter is all the way at the back. Shouldn’t it be near the exit? Or maybe the middle, so it’s close to everywhere.

After hitting two dead-ends, Conor finally reached the rear of the store. For the moment, Gerson was the only monster there, so Conor was able to immediately start talking to him.

“Hey Gerson!”

“There you are, kiddo! Glad you could make it.” Gerson patted on a seat next to him behind the counter. “How’s about we stick around down here for a while and chat? Today’s a bit of a slow day, but I could always use the help whenever the monsters do come floodin’ in.”

“Er, sure.” It didn’t matter too much to Conor where they sat, and he doubted Gerson really needed much help with the store. He perched himself on the seat and spun it to face Gerson. “Why don’t you have a chair here, anyway? I mean, you’re-” Conor immediately bit his tongue; he was about to call Gerson old, and that seemed rather rude. “Surely your legs get tired.”

“These ancient, creakin’ legs you mean?” Gerson clarified with a distinct glint in his eyes. Conor began to hunch up in guilt, but was startled out of it by the resulting laughter. “Wa ha ha! Once you get past your first few hundred years, the idea of gettin’ old starts to lose its sting. Anyway, standing helps me feel like I’m giving my customers all my attention; plus, it keeps me active.” He stomped his feet a few times in demonstration, his gaze still fixed on Conor. “Now, I can tell you’re burstin’ with the need to ask some questions – and I’ve got a lot more to teach about how monsters work’n all – so go right ahead and ask!”

Conor blinked; the chair discussion had nearly driven his earlier intentions from his mind. “Oh, yeah! I guess I was really wondering: how do bullet patterns work? They’re still kind of confusing.”

Gerson appeared somewhat surprised by the question. “Huh, I figured that’s the sort of thing they’d’ve covered in your magic classes.”

Conor nodded. “Sort of, but it never really made sense. I mean, where do they even come from?”

“I guess they are a bit tough to explain. They’re just so innate, really, we never have to think about ‘em.” Gerson pondered for a moment. “I suppose the best way to describe bullet patterns is… They’re a little bit of you – a part of your very self. It’s like another layer on how your magic represents ‘you.’ You can play around with ‘em or practice at makin’ new ones, but they’ll always reflect who you are.” He grinned. “That’s why they’re so popular for birthday cards! It’s like a signature, a handshake – or whatever appendage you use – and a hug, all wrapped up together.”

“That sounds like Soul stuff…” Conor considered. “But I’ve never felt my magic do anything like that. Is it because I’m human?”

Gerson seemed to consider this carefully. “You know, I’m not sure about that. From what I recall, I never saw any magic from human mages look that way, either. Ol’ Miri figured it could’ve been because usin’ magic’s a little more ‘external’ for humans, but… she never got a chance to test that theory.”

“… Miri?” Conor could not remember hearing that name before. “Who’s she?”

“Ah…” A shadow passed over Gerson’s face, and for that brief moment, he looked two centuries older. “My wife, Miriam. She passed before that first fallen human – Chara – came down, so she never got her chance to see if she was right about human magic… and she never got to see the barrier fall.”

Conor gasped. He found himself intensely curious about this other tortoise monster, but also worried about pushing too hard. Still, maybe it would help Gerson to talk…? “She must have been really smart.”

Gerson nodded slowly, his eyes beginning to focus on some distant past. “Oh, that she was. Smart as a whip and a heart too big to fit in the Underground. That was her problem, really…” Gerson paused for a moment, then let out a slow exhalation. “Anyway, she’d run circles ‘round most folks – mentally, of course! We tortoise monsters ain’t known for our speed, after all. She’d stay quiet and listen to all you’ve gotta say, and just when you’d think she didn’t really catch any of it, she’d ask a single question that made you wonder if you ever knew anythin’ at all.” He chuckled. “Maybe it wasn’t the best thing to do to make friends, but she did it ‘cause she cared about people, wanted them to think about why they were doing something. And I gotta admit, I certainly didn’t mind seeing some puffed up monster gettin’ a few holes poked in their ego.”

Conor remained silent, not wishing to disturb this reminiscence. His eyes beginning to mist over, Gerson continued to speak. “Unfortunately, she was prone to melancholy, which didn’t help when she tried to take everyone’s burdens on herself. She devoted her life and studies to findin’ a way to break or slip through the barrier, but when every path that seemed promising just turned into a dead-end…” His face sank further. “Well, she just couldn’t live with the idea that monsters might be trapped underground forever. The rest… well, the rest you know.”

Conor felt a brief, sharp stab in his heart. He knew that many monsters had lost hope of escaping the Underground, but for it to have affected some so strongly… “How- Er, I mean, if it’s not too painful for me to ask… how did you not fall into that same despair?”

Gerson examined Conor closely. “I’ll be honest with you, kiddo. I figured we’d never see the sky again, so I focused more on findin’ ways for us to keep on going Underground. I decided if we’d be stuck down there, might as well make the best of it.” He smiled at the memory. “I never could’ve expected in a million years for you two to come along and do all you did, or for the young prince to return as a flower, steal all our Souls, then break the barrier with ‘em! Wa ha ha!”

Conor couldn’t tell if Gerson’s mood had actually lightened, or if he was laughing to hide the pain, like so many other monsters. Perhaps it was even in defiance of that sorrow.

Gerson must have noticed Conor studying him, as he explained, “Wonderin’ how I can still laugh after all that? Well, a healthy attitude’s important to have for anyone, but especially for us monsters. When you become one, you’ll see what I mean. It’s best not to hold in negative emotion or pretend it isn’t there.” He shook his head. “Smiling to mask the pain can be a bit of a favourite pastime for some monsters, and I keep hearin’ how dark humour can be emotionally healthy and all… just as long as it ain’t you actually ignorin’ your own suffering.” Gerson added one final warning, wagging his finger as he did. “And whatever you do, don’t fall for all that hooey about us not even bein’ negative like that in the first place. From what I recall of Chara, I suspect they might’ve felt that way…”

Conor’s ears perked up. This was related to Chara? “What do you mean?”

“Well, I bet you’ve been hearing all about how monster Souls’re nothin’ more than pure love and compassion and happiness and whatever other positive emotions you can think of.” He shook his head ruefully. “But I’ve lived long enough to know that ain’t true. We’ve got our share of anger and sadness and other negative feelings. Now, I won’t deny that some of that was righteous fury over how we were treated,” he clarified, “but it ain’t all so pure.”

Gerson let out a long, slow breath. “It’s pretty easy to lose sight of that, though, and some folks get it into their heads that monsters’re all good and humans’re all bad. I think Undyne may have been leanin’ that way until you’n Frisk showed her otherwise. After all, monsters are no more made of love than humans’re made of LOVE… if you catch my meanin’.” Conor could almost hear the capitals in the word, carrying Gerson’s intended meaning loud and clear.

Gerson appeared to study his own hands. “It’s just as true for me as for anyone. Folks kept callin’ me a ‘hero,’ said I was a champion of monsterkind… but my greatest accomplishment in the war was simply survivin’ it.”

“Well…” Conor reasoned, “you said humans are really tough, so, isn’t surviving that pretty impressive anyway? Did you have to Fight any?”

“A few,” Gerson answered. “Never had a hope of beating any of ‘em, though. Just Fought alongside fellow soldiers, tryin’ to hold the humans off long enough for other folks to get away.”

Conor’s eyes began to widen. “That sounds pretty heroic to me. I mean, you saved lives!” It was then that Conor realized that throughout Gerson’s many stories, he had never really spoken in any detail about his own magic. “How did you Fight them, anyway? Was it like Undyne?”

“Hehehe,” Gerson chuckled. “I wasn’t called the ‘Hammer of Justice’ for nothing, you know.” He raised one hand and conjured a large hammer made of pure, blue-tinted ice. He then gripped it with both hands and gave a mighty swing downwards, smoothly dismissing it just before it made impact with the floor. “Undyne learned her energy weapon stuff from Asgore, but he wasn’t the only one to Fight with magic that way.”

Hammer of Justice… Conor hadn’t expected the title to be so literal. Putting two and two together, he remembered another title that was similarly descriptive. “Oh, duh; so Undyne was following you as the ‘Spear of Justice.’”

“Yep,” Gerson replied amicably. “She followed after me in plenty of things. Well, after Asgore, too. He was a bit like her pa, and I was like her grandpa! … Even though he’n I are practically the same age.” He shook his head ruefully. “I guess boss monster biology is like that, though.”

Conor cocked his head to one side. “Huh? Like what?”

“Heh, guess this counts as another lesson. Adult boss monsters only age if they’ve got kids; same with young ‘uns only if they’ve got a parent. It’s a link between their Souls that does it, though beats me how. Anyhoo, ol’ King Fluffybuns didn’t age at all until he and Tori had Asriel, then they both stopped again when the prince died…” His voice briefly faltered at those final words, but he soon brightened again. “Now the kiddo’s back, your mom and dad are back to getting older, though they’re never going to catch up to me! Wahaha!”

Conor’s face screwed up in confusion. “That’s… really weird.”

Gerson grinned. “Yep! Could be the reason their Souls’re strong enough to persist for a little while, though, so I guess it’s good for somethin’!”

Just then, a sudden realization hit Conor, making him gasp. “So if they’re aging again now… then restoring Asriel’s Soul also re-connected them!”

Gerson’s smile warmed further. “Looks like it. You three still owe me an explanation of how you did that, but it’s mighty impressive however you look at it, that’s for sure.”

Conor merely sat there, pondering all this new information. It had all started from a simple question about bullet patterns, but now he felt almost overwhelmed with everything that he had learned about Gerson and his own parents. Still, sorting through this knowledge, one final question did arise… One that he hesitated to ask. “Do you… do you think, if I can get this spell to work… if I can become a monster…” Conor tried to swallow, but his throat suddenly felt too dry. “Would I have that same connection?”

Gerson stared at him for a long time. “Now, that’s a tricky question. Nothin’ like this has been done before, so I can’t rightly say one way or the other.” His eyes crinkled up into a smile. “I do know one thing for sure, though.” He poked Conor in the chest. “Whether it happens or not doesn’t matter; you’ve got your own link to ‘em already.”

Conor found himself with no idea of what to say, his mouth opening and closing multiple times in succession. Gerson seemingly decided to take pity on him, not requiring any response. “Now, on the subject of your parents… have I ever told you about the time ol’ Fluffybuns found himself apologizin’ to a statue?”

Conor stared at Gerson with deep skepticism. “No. How would Dad end up doing something like that?”

Gerson’s eyes twinkled with mirth. “Well, I’ll give a little spoiler and say that some ghost monsters were involved. Anyway, it all started when…”

Gerson’s tale continued with surprisingly few deviations and tangents, though he did have to occasionally stop to serve a customer. Eventually, it was interrupted when the next monster in line wasn’t actually a customer at all, but Alvin.

Gerson immediately stopped what he was saying and faced his son. “There you are! All done at the University, then?”

Alvin still radiated calm, but there was a faint edge of stress this time. “Yes. I apologize for being late; the department meeting ran longer than expected, and then there were some urgent matters brought up by a couple members of the faculty afterwards.”

Gerson brushed off Alvin’s worry. “Oh, it was no trouble at all! I was just finishing tellin’ a story to Conor about Asgore.”

Conor glanced between the two tortoise monsters. He was glad Alvin had made it here to pick him up, but Gerson hadn’t quite finished yet. “Wait, how did it end?”

“Ah, well, to cut a long story short, the shy little ghost had been spooked so much by all the noise, they’d fled right out of the statue and into a nearby dummy. So, when Fluffybuns turned around and accidentally bonked the statue with his horns, he immediately apologized to it, when it was nothin’ but a hunk o’ rock! Now the statue stayed silent, of course, so he thought they were pretty mad at him and felt even more guilty… until he spotted the poor dummy shiverin’ in the corner. He then went right over and did his best to cheer them up and help ‘em feel better.” Gerson pondered for a moment. “You know, I think they ended up headin’ over to the Ruins when they got older, trying to get a bit of peace and quiet.”

“Ah, yes,” Alvin said. “I think I know that monster. They are one of the ones that remained in the Underground. I suspect they are enjoying the smaller population down there now.” He turned back to Conor. “Are you ready to go? I believe we should still have some time before dinner. It was very kind of Toriel to invite us, by the way.”

Gerson firmly agreed. “Yep! I’ll be seein’ you both there later. I’m looking forward to it!”

Conor hopped down from his seat. He hadn’t really unpacked anything, so he was basically already ready. “Ok! See you there, Gerson.” He thought back to the old tortoise’s earlier words, blushing faintly. “And thanks again.”

Gerson winked. “‘Course! It’s all true, after all.”

Alvin’s car was rather compact, only having the two front seats, which explained why they did not all travel in it together. The journey to his house was rather quiet, too, though he and Conor did share brief moments of minor chatter. Unsurprisingly, it did not take long for the subject to shift to magic, particularly Conor’s progress in his studies.

By the time the two of them had reached Alvin’s house and settled in his living room, the topic had honed down to the specific spell Conor had shown the first time they met. “When you cast your illusion,” Alvin explained, “I certainly did not expect you to use that spoken phrase. In a way, that was rather like one small aspect of a ritual already. How did you know to do that?”

Conor thought for a moment. “It just… felt right. I mean, that’s how a lot of magic works in books, anyway, so I guess I was thinking of those.”

Alvin appeared both startled and energized by the news, his eyes wide and gleaming. “You got the idea from human books? Truly? Then perhaps some remnant of spellcasting remains in humanity’s public consciousness, preserved through tales and stories. And yet, without that initial spark of magic, they remain just that: stories. This has some absolutely fascinating implications!” He excitedly fetched an old notebook and opened it up to a fresh page. “Please, what are the names of some of these works?”

“Uh…” Conor had to take a moment to collect his thoughts. He had just figured he was being rather unoriginal; he’d never have thought of what Alvin had just suggested. The idea that the stories that always fascinated him might just be a connection to magic and history – both subjects he loved – sent a thrill down his spine. He quickly recommended some of his favourite books to Alvin, along with a few others he knew were quite popular.

Alvin was writing down Conor’s answers in a flurry of penstrokes; Conor had never seen his hands move so fast. He was beginning to understand just how passionate Alvin was about his field of study. Once he had finished, Alvin glanced back up from the paper. “Thank you for the list. I shall have to investigate them as soon as I can. I suspect they will be invaluable to my research.”

However, one thing didn’t quite line up in Conor’s mind. “Um, but aren’t you more looking into how magic works? Like, the really fundamental stuff?”

 “Yes, but seeing what – if anything – might be different for magic between humans and monsters… learning what humans might have retained over the centuries… Well, these are all fascinating subjects that still fall under that broad umbrella.” Alvin seemed to stare off into space for a moment. “One thing my father and I share in common is our belief in the power of stories. We both know there is often a deeper truth to them, whether it be a lesson on life or a hidden fragment of the past. Many myths have a grain of truth at their core, after all, and I suspect that this is no different.”

“The power of stories…” Conor muttered to himself. He had been listening entranced by Alvin’s explanation to the point that he had completely forgotten about the original purpose of his visit.

Fortunately, Alvin was able to recover his focus and bring them both back on track. “Well, anyway… Perhaps staying on the subject of books: how are you doing with that last textbook I lent you? Any questions or difficulties?”

Conor unpacked the book from his bag and pulled out several sheets of paper with his own notes. “Um, I think a lot of it was ok, but the section on… uh…” He flipped to a page he had bookmarked to refresh his memory. “‘Runic structures’ was really confusing.”

“Yes, that subject is rather non-intuitive,” Alvin agreed, “and this book does not explain it as well as I would like. Sadly, it is the only one that covers this particular aspect with any sort of detail. Let’s see if we can make sense of it together.”

Over the next hour, Alvin helped Conor go over the section, answering his questions and explaining the content in a much more comprehensible fashion. By the time it was over, Conor certainly felt a lot more confident about the material, though he still had plenty more questions. Alvin was able to answer many of them on the drive back to Conor’s home, but he knew he’d have to wait to ask the rest. Inviting the Booms over for dinner was meant to be enjoyable and relaxing, after all, not a session for grilling them with more questions.

So, while Conor bounced around a little with excess energy, he managed to hold himself back from asking anything else while Alvin knocked on Toriel’s front door.

Surprisingly, it was Asriel that answered instead of his mother. He glanced between the two people waiting on the doorstep, raising an eyebrow in Conor’s direction. “You took your time; dinner’s almost ready.” He then caught himself with a guilty flash and spoke directly to Alvin. “Um, sorry, Dr. Boom. Mom’s just finishing with dinner. She’ll be over pretty quic-”

“Alvin, welcome!” Toriel’s voice rang down the hallway. She came up to the door still wearing a large pair of oven mitts over her paws, and a delicious smell wafted out of the kitchen behind her. “Please, come inside!”

Asriel darted out from holding the door open as Toriel welcomed Alvin in; Conor dashed over to join him. “Gerson got here half an hour ago,” Asriel told him as they hurried into the kitchen towards the attached dining room. “He’s been telling some pretty interesting stories about Mom.”

Gerson was already sitting at the dining room table, and he must have heard Asriel’s last comment, as he added, “Oh yep, she was a real firebrand! Always causin’ no end of trouble! Wa ha ha!”

“Now, now, Gerson,” Toriel said as she made her way back to the oven. “I am sure they do not need to hear all the details.”

“Probably not,” Gerson agreed. “After all, I’d say a burnt-down barn speaks for itself!”

“What!?” Conor and Asriel gasped in unison.

Toriel stopped dead in her tracks, clearly flustered. “Th- that was hardly intentional! Now, may we please change the subject?”

“Probably best for our health,” Gerson agreed with a wink at the two kids. He then turned his attention back to Toriel. “I noticed your garden out back’s lookin’ pretty good. Picking up a bit of a green paw, yourself?”

Toriel took dinner out of the oven – chicken and leek pie, by the smell – and brought it over to the table. Setting it down and cutting it into portions, her tense stance began to ebb away “It is something I began during my time in the Ruins… I find it helps me relax.”

Knowing where Chara had been buried, Conor was pretty sure he knew another reason she had tended one patch of flowers in particular. However, he wouldn’t have dreamed of voicing that thought out loud in a million years.

Just when are you going to tell her you’re still here, Chara? he wondered to himself. Mom and Dad would want to know, honest. However, Chara resided within Frisk’s head and not his own, so silence was his only reply.

“It does seem to be agreeing with you,” Alvin said to Toriel. He then turned towards Asriel and Conor. “Do either of you two join her?”

Asriel nodded. “We’ve started to, yeah. It’s a lot of work, but… it is kind of nice to help something live…”

Conor caught a note of guilt in Asriel’s voice, and silently brought his hand onto his brother’s shoulder for support.

“Yes,” Toriel said, “they have taken to it with more zeal than I expected.” Her voice was dry as she added, “It is almost as though they have already been learning from someone else.”

“We don’t just watch TV and play games on the weekends, Mom,” Asriel answered haughtily, though he threw in a cheeky wink as well.

Toriel nodded, placing a paw on her chest. “I am glad you are having fun. Truly.” Her voice then took on a teasing note. “Though if you really want to help, Asriel, then I am always appreciative of any assistance in the kitchen.”

Asriel rolled his eyes at this. “Ugh. You’ve already got Conor in there, and isn’t there an expression for that? ‘Too many cooks spoil the broth’ or something?”

Toriel chuckled lightly. “Oh, I do not know if that is true. I think you two would be quite good at it. You are broth-ers, after all.”

The dining room was filled with the combined sound of laughter and groans (mostly groans). The rest of the evening devolved into more jokes and anecdotes, until Conor and Asriel finally had to head up to bed. Gerson and Alvin were staying a little longer to discuss some other matters, and while the two kids were eager to eavesdrop, Toriel’s watchful eyes and ears quickly caught them and sent them to their room.

Once they were inside, Asriel sat down on the edge of his bed, sighing happily. “We need to have Gerson and Alvin over more often. I had no idea of half of that stuff about Mom!”

“I knew even less!” Conor agreed. “I guess when you were growing up, she was already calmed down?”

“Yeah. I mean, she’d already been queen for centuries before I was born, so I guess she had lots of time to get more…” Asriel paused, seemingly trying to find the right word. “Measured, I guess.”

“That makes sense,” Conor said. “It’s got to be a lot of responsibility.”

“Yeah. Mom and Dad tried to keep me from feeling that burden, but it’s hard to escape. I think Chara felt it straight away, though, being the only human in the Underground and all…”

“Maybe I would have, too,” Conor mused. “Er, if I’d known, that is. She was just a kind lady in the Ruins to me, no royalty or anything. Simply… someone willing to take me in.”

Asriel became pensive. “Maybe it was fate that you and Mom found each other, when you were both so desperate for a family.”

“Fate…” Conor muttered. He’d never liked that word. ‘Fate’ had seen him born as a human, and had given him biological parents that wouldn’t even keep him. Furthermore, the idea of it made him feel trapped – powerless – like nothing he did mattered. He hated that feeling…

However, just this once, the word did not sit sourly upon his tongue. There was a sweetness this time; a gentle benevolence, like the universe had conspired to give him exactly what he had needed. The word brought the feeling that he was ‘meant’ to be with his mom – with Dad and Asriel, too – that he was ‘meant’ to be a Dreemurr.

Yes… maybe he could hope that it was fate. Just this once.

Chapter Text

Relaxing in her comfortable chair by the fire, Toriel turned to the next page in her book. It was a thrilling murder mystery, and despite her best efforts, she was still struggling to figure out who the murderer was ahead of the protagonist. She took it as a matter of pride to do so when she could, like she was in competition with the young detective on the case. There must have been one clue missing, and she strongly suspected the current lead was a dead-end. Still, there were a few chapters left for all to be revealed.

Reaching the end of the page, Toriel glanced up from the novel at the empty house around her. She did enjoy the peace and quiet when Asriel and Conor were visiting Asgore, but it sometimes brought back memories of the Ruins as well: memories of waiting and waiting for another human to fall – for another chance to save at least one child. After the last royal meeting, Asgore had extended an offer for her to come as well, claiming he had another spare room for visitors, but… it didn’t feel right to accept it. Asriel and Conor seemed to enjoy their time there, and she didn’t want to intrude on that. Apparently, Asgore had managed to worm his way into both her sons’ hearts.

No, that is uncharitable, she mentally chided herself. It is hardly a surprise that Conor would desire a father figure, and as for Asriel… He and Asgore had already been close before Asriel’s… death; and now they both shared a trouble history, haunted by their own actions. It seemed to help the two of them when they were together, and she sincerely hoped they could find some measure of healing, especially since she was at a loss as to what to do, herself.

She inserted a bookmark and put the novel down, shaking her head in a vain attempt to clear it of these gloomy thoughts. What she really needed was to get out of the house, to take herself away from a situation that reminded her so much of-

‘Ding!’

Toriel reached over and picked up her phone from the small table next to her. Unlocking the Alphys-upgraded phone with a minor flow of magic (as good as a fingerprint for identifying a specific monster), she saw that the notification was a new text from Sans.

hey tori. how’s it going?

Smiling to herself, Toriel typed out a quick reply.

Just enjoying the peace and quiet at home for the moment.

heh, nothing wrong with a bit of relaxation. does that mean you don’t want to meet up at grillby’s?

Oh, I had almost forgotten. I would be happy to! It was a little too quiet, to be entirely honest.

great! lunch is on me.

I insist that I pay this time. I will not inflict poor Grillby with your ever-increasing tab.

hey, i’m not gonna fight you on it, so i’ll just say thanks. see ya there.

I will be there soon.

Toriel headed to her room upstairs and changed into a comfortable sweater, which felt far more appropriate with how chilly the weather had recently gotten. She then hopped into her car and drove the relatively short distance to Grillby’s. She didn’t worry about checking for Sans’ bike; he always made it there first, anyway.

Grillby had been one of the first monsters to take advantage of the opportunities on the surface, bringing his business up and even expanding it to serve a larger variety of food and drinks. In particular, he quickly recognized the human fascination with coffee, and had become quite the expert at brewing his own house blends. While a little unusual for a pub, it had let to a flurry of new clientele, and on this Sunday afternoon, Toriel found that many of the tables were already taken.

Fortunately, Sans was already waiting in his usual place at the bar, and he seemed to have saved a seat for her. He never turned around, but still raised a mittened hand in greeting at her approach. “heya tori.”

Toriel carefully sat down on the stool next to him. “Greetings, Sans. You have not been waiting long, I hope.”

A faint shrug. “eh, i was already here when i texted ya. just enjoying my break.”

Toriel blinked. “I did not think you worked on the weekends.”

“it’s a very long break.” Sans’ grin widened ever so slightly. “besides, there’s something about the atmosphere here, ya know?”

Toriel glanced around, seeing humans and monsters in varied groups, talking, drinking, and eating. The sight brought a smile to her face. “It is nice to see peaceful interactions between humans and monsters.”

“i more meant the greasy food and good company, but you’re not wrong. the kids did good… and i get the feeling we’ll all get to stick around and enjoy it, too.”

This last statement puzzled Toriel; she would never get used to some of Sans’ more cryptic remarks. She was about to ask what he meant when Grillby came to their side of the bar to take their order. The sight of the refined and reserved fire elemental brought back warm memories of her and Asgore visiting Snowdin with Asriel and Chara.

The two children used to love playing around in the snow, and it was always a struggle to get them to come back to Home (or later, to New Home). On top of that, the whole family had taken quickly to the dignified Grillby, who had left behind the heat of Hotland to seek cooler climes. She could recall many afternoons where she and Asgore would sit in the warmth of his pub and watch Asriel and Chara have snowball fights, make snow angels, or build snow monsters just outside.

The rush of memories briefly overwhelmed Toriel, leaving her staring wordlessly at the equally-silent Grillby.

Perhaps noticing her distraction, Sans jumped into the conversation. “hey grillby, got any new roasts on the menu?”

“… … …”

In the face of Grillby’s reserved silence, Sans gleefully attempted a translation. “ouch, that’s a low blow! i’d say hoodies are the epitome of style.” He winked at Toriel, who stifled a giggle. She was honestly surprised Sans hadn’t used that joke before, but she was grateful he had chosen now. “guess i’ll just have the usual, then.”

Grillby nodded, then turned to face Toriel.

“Ah, I believe I shall have a Snowdin Supreme, please.”

As Grillby went to the back of the bar, Sans inquired, “not going for your coffee?”

Toriel shook her head. “I felt like something particularly warming today.”

“yeah, it got cold pretty quick. the leaves fell off the trees faster than my bro gets ready for work.”

Toriel smiled at the mention of Papyrus. “Yes, he is very enthusiastic in all of his responsibilities.”

“that’s papyrus for ya. it’s nice to see all his hard work pay off.”

“And we are happy to have his assistance. I would say that he has been invaluable in our diplomatic efforts; the humans truly love him.”

“of course! who wouldn’t?”

Toriel was always touched by Sans’ loyalty to his younger brother. “You forgot to mention his dislike of puns when you told me about him through the door, however.”

Sans grinned back at her. “he only minds most of ‘em. you could say he’s got a refined ‘palate.’”

“Ah, so they must be a cut above in order to tickle his ‘funny bone’?”

The two of them shared some laughter before a silence fell over them, each becoming absorbed in their own thoughts.

…

It was Sans who broke the quiet first. “still feels weird just talking face-to-face like this, doesn’t it?”

“Instead of having a large stone door in between?” Toriel replied. “Yes, it does take some getting used to. I would say it is an overall improvement, though.”

Sans gave one of his signature shrugs. “fewer opportunities for knock-knock jokes, though.”

Toriel felt a smile begin to form. “Oh, I am not so sure about that…” She gently rapped the bar top twice. “Knock knock.”

“oh? who’s there?”

“To.”

Sans tilted his head. “don’t think i know that one. to who?”

Toriel raised a digit in correction. “No, to whom.”

Sans simply stared at her for a moment, then broke out into a chuckle, the lights in his eyes twinkling merrily. “heh. you really are a dork, you know that?”

“I believe that makes two of us,” Toriel replied smugly.

Grillby brought over a burger and fries with extra ketchup for Sans, along with Toriel’s large hot chocolate with extra whipped cream. She briefly admired the way that coloured sprinkles had been artfully arranged to resemble a string of Christmas lights, but was soon distracted by new customers arriving to place an order. These two were humans, not that that made them stand out among Grillby’s varied clientele. No, what drew Toriel’s attention was a sense of familiarity about them…

Looking more closely, the mother appeared to be somewhere in her mid-thirties, and the daughter couldn’t have been older than nine or ten. The girl’s hair – a similar shade of dark brown to her mother’s – was tied back in a long ponytail, and she must have been a fan of ballerinas, as she was wearing a frilly pink tutu.

“(Anya…)” Toriel exhaled softly.

“you ok, tori?” Sans asked, though Toriel barely registered his voice. She was already a million miles away – or more accurately, she was only several miles away, back in the Underground beneath Mt. Ebott.

Yes, that was why they looked so familiar. The girl was the spitting image of that young child who had fallen down so long ago. Anya had been one of the quickest to leave Toriel’s protection, more out of principle than anything else. Sadly, those principles had not been able to withstand Asgore…

This memory sparked a whirlwind of recollection, the faces of all of those children flashing through her mind: brave Sarah, so confident that she could handle anything ahead of her; quiet Lei, so scared of getting hurt again; stoic Anya, so poised and unwilling to back down from her path; true-hearted Luka, so intent on discovering what had happened to the others; and studious Ravi, so eager to learn what lay outside the Ruins in the rest of the Underground.

And of course there was Chara, the very first child she had failed to protect. To lose them after three happy years, and then to lose Asriel as well in the same night… it had nearly broken her. Perhaps it had broken her, and she was trying in vain to mend cracks that were really gaping wounds in her heart…

By some miracle – one she would not question – Asriel had come back to her, but that didn’t mean she would forget Chara… Chara, who had always stared at her so intently, as though trying to figure out what sort of person would let them stay; Chara, who spoke so passionately about justice and retribution; Chara, who brought hope to the Underground for a time… before being cruelly taken away from them – no, it worse was worse than that: before taking themself away in a terrible bargain to free them all. No, she could never forget Chara.

“tori?” Sans’ voice was louder this time, and he poked her arm for emphasis.

The physical contact was enough to bring her back, and Toriel blinked rapidly at Sans, still feeling slightly dazed. “Oh! I apologize, Sans. I was a little distracted there. What were you saying?”

Sans examined her for another moment, likely reading her the same way he could most people. He then shook his head. “i wasn’t saying anything. you don’t need to talk either, ya know… unless you want to, that is.”

“I am unsure if I- if I can right now…”

“well, it looks to me like you’re hurting, maybe over something ya did or didn’t do.” Sans shrugged. “you can’t keep hating yourself forever, though. after all, you’ve got those kids that love ya. you’ve got a future together. we’ve all got futures now.”

Toriel felt those last words were a bit of an exaggeration – surely they still had futures when trapped in the Underground, just rather gloomy ones. Still, she appreciated the reminder about the children she did have. She remained silent, pondering these words.

Sans continued, “so stop ‘bleating’ yourself up about it, yeah? you’ve ‘goat’ this.”

Toriel couldn’t prevent a giggle from escaping her lips. “Sans, those were truly awful.” She waggled a finger in admonishment. “And I believe you have used that second one before with me.”

Sans winked. “hey, some things are classics for a reason.”

She let out a breath, releasing a tightness with it that she hadn’t realized she’d been holding on to. “… Thank you.”

His grin widened. “what are friends for?”

Toriel enjoyed the rest of their lunch, eventually finishing her hot chocolate and ordering some greasy food to keep her going until dinner. The two of them continued to chat about this and that, with Toriel recovering enough to tell a few more bad jokes of her own.

After returning home, the afternoon that followed passed swiftly as well, with Toriel making more progress reading through the mystery. She managed to figure out the culprit just in time for Asriel and Conor to come home, Frisk in tow. On hearing their energetic knocks, she rose from her chair and opened the door to let them in. However, apart from a hurried “Hi Mom!” (joined by a “Hi Toriel!” from Frisk) and a quick hug of greeting, she barely saw them as they rushed past her to continue whatever game they had started at Asgore’s house.

With the children already gone, she was left standing in the doorway in front of Asgore. Despite Sans’ attempts at cheer, she was still in a bit of a gloomy mood, and seeing Asgore – a living reminder of what had happened – did not exactly help. As such, when she said, “Thank you for looking after them, Asgore,” it came out sounding almost sarcastic.

Asgore caught her tone, and it seemed to fluster him. “Er, oh, well… It was nothing, Toriel. It feels like they’re looking after me half of the time. I should be thanking you, really.”

Toriel winced internally; she had not meant to sound quite so harsh. Though it was a struggle, she made her best attempt at a smile. “I am glad you four enjoyed your time together.”

Asgore immediately brightened, reporting, “Oh, yes. They spent a lot of time in their room, but we did enjoy watching more of the anime that Frisk brought, and they even helped wrap up some of the larger plants in preparation for winter. I must say, it is refreshing to have seasons… again…” He trailed off, finally recognizing the shadow hidden behind her bright smile. “Are you alright, Tori- er, Toriel?”

He reached out, but she pulled away. “I am fine. Thank you for your concern.”

From Asgore’s doubtful expression, he clearly didn’t believe her, but he refrained from digging deeper. Instead, he simply rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “Well… I guess I’ll be going, then.”

Oddly, his not pressing her made her feel more inclined to explain herself. “It is not you specifically; it was from earlier today. I just saw someone that made me think of…” Her voice drifted off as she gave a brief shudder.

Asgore winced, responding with a single, slow nod. “I understand. Something brings back the memories and they come crashing down in full force. Apologies will never be enough, but… I am sorry, Toriel.”

She swallowed, her throat feeling tight. “I know.” She then took a deep breath to try and recover some modicum of composure. “We will be meeting tomorrow to discuss the progress of linking Sun Home to New Home, if I recall correctly.”

“Indeed. Thank you for reminding me.”

“Then I will see you tomorrow.”

Asgore gave a deep bow, reminding her of their courting days. She couldn’t decide if the memory brought her joy or pain. “Until tomorrow, then.” He then turned around and walked back to his truck, leaving Toriel to slowly close the front door.

She took a brief moment to recover her poise before heading back inside, but there was no need. The three children were already upstairs in their room – a few sounds of ‘combat’ were loud enough to carry down to her – so she did not have to worry about them seeing her broken by the past, however briefly.

However, as much as they might be annoyed by her interruption, she desperately needed to see them at that moment. After the events of today, some deep and instinctive part of her wanted to reassure herself with her own eyes that they were alright – that these three children, at least, were healthy and happy and alive.

She wasn’t exactly trying to be stealthy as she ascended the stairs, but her bare paws made little noise on the carpeted steps, and she was hardly announcing her presence, either. Without even really knowing it, what she truly wanted was to catch them in a candid moment of youthful energy, not all turned around and waiting for her.

So it was that the sounds of their game continued as she approached the closed door to their room. Their voices came to her, too, though oddly quiet, as though they didn’t want the sound to carry. She heard Conor make some comment about the ‘triumph of good’ before a response came from another voice.

A different voice, not belonging to any of those three children.

“Really, Conor? I thought we were trying to go morally grey this time.”

“How about… really light grey?”

Toriel gave a start, barely registering Conor’s reply. That... that was definitely... No, no, it couldn't be. Though she did not typically spy on her children, she found herself creeping forward on the tips of her paws, desperate to hear more. Her rational mind told her that Asriel could have just been playing a tape from the old days, but that voice – one she could never forget – had said Conor’s name, and that just wasn't possible. Not unless...

Even as Toriel's footsteps softened, her heartbeat seemed to pound louder and louder in her ears, until she was certain the whole house could hear it. And yet the children in the room ahead continued to chatter away, seemingly unaware of the drumbeats resounding from within her chest.

Toriel lifted her ear and pressed it against the door, now hearing Asriel’s voice, though reduced to a near whisper.

“Come on, Chara. Let’s just keep going.”

Toriel’s breath caught in her throat at the name, then was completely stolen by the reply.

“I’m just trying to help us commit to what we had all agreed… but fine. It’s not that big a deal.”

There was no mistaking the voice this time, and it was another line Toriel had never heard Chara say before. She swung the door open, a sudden rush of hope buoying her heart. “Chara?”

Frisk, Asriel, and Conor stood in front of her, all clearly startled by her sudden entrance. However, it was only the three of them; Chara was nowhere in sight.

Toriel’s eyes darted around the room, her confusion mounting. “I- I could have sworn…”

She heard a brief, “Ow!” from Frisk, who was glaring at Asriel as though he had done something. However, none of them said anything more, though they did appear to have trouble meeting her eyes.

Toriel began to wonder if she was so desperate to see Chara again that she was hearing voices. And yet, could she truly have imagined their voice saying things that fit so well into the children’s play? Combined with the guilty expressions on the faces in front of her, she knew there had to be more to it than that.

Though she risked sounding crazy, Toriel decided to stand firm. Paws on her hips, she said, “I know it was Chara’s voice I heard just now. Would any of you like to tell me what exactly is going on?”

The three children exchanged looks, apparently unsure how to respond. However, Asriel’s and Conor’s seemed more pleading than confused. Frisk must have acquiesced to something, as they eventually stepped forward. “It’s, uh… It’s a bit of a long story, Toriel. It’s not exactly the same, but…” They glanced over at their two friends. “Asriel’s not the only one who came back… sort of.”

Toriel froze; her entire body felt numb as the implications began to sink in. “… Chara?” Her eyes roved the room once again, this time with an air of frantic energy. “But… where are they?”

Frisk’s mouth didn’t move, but another voice spoke then, coming from their direction. “I’m here.” As Toriel’s eyes locked onto Frisk, the voice spoke again. “I’m here… Mom.”

That was definitely their voice. But this didn’t make any sense! Was Chara somehow invisible? Were they hiding behind Frisk? Where were they??

Frisk stepped closer once more, but it was still Chara’s voice that Toriel heard. “I’m sort of… stuck in Frisk, bound to their Soul. Merely a restless spirit, looking out through their eyes. It’s not much, really-”

“It’s something,” Asriel fiercely interrupted. “You’re still here, still with us.”

Toriel felt like Chara was not the only one trapped in a body they could not control. The sheer shock had robbed her of all motivity, leaving only her eyes free to dart back and forth between Frisk and Asriel. She certainly was not able to speak, reduced to watching this exchange play out before her. However, even as she froze in shock, she could feel a burgeoning fire deep within her heart.

Though incapable of gestures, Chara seemed to shrug off Asriel’s interjection, continuing to address Toriel. “The point is, I hid myself from you, and I’m sorry. At first, I thought I didn’t deserve to be back – to be with you again…” Even without breath, their sigh was audible. “And then, I just wanted to wait until Alphys could do more, maybe even make some sort of body.”

Toriel’s eyes shot wide open. “Alphys… knew?” The fire within her became an inferno, roaring in her ears and thawing the numbing frost that locked her mouth and limbs. “She knew and said nothing? You all said nothing??”

Conor and Asriel winced, but Frisk remained resolute, staring up at Toriel. “I did say she’d want to know, Chara.”

“Yes, I would have,” Toriel firmly stated. “Why would you keep something like that a secret? Why would you keep it from us, knowing how we felt about all that happened?” Her smoldering gaze roamed over Frisk, Asriel, and Conor, scorching anything in its path. “I trusted you three!”

Chara immediately spoke out in everyone’s defense, the words all rushing out in a flood. “It was me! It was all me. I made Alphys and everyone else promise to keep it a secret! None of them wanted to! Even Frisk said I should tell you, but I held off, scared of hurting you again. I ruined everything last time; I didn’t want to do that again.” Their voice became steel, ready to weather the storm of Toriel’s fury. “If you’re going to be mad at anyone, it should be me.”

Toriel clenched her paws, her emotion bursting free. “Oh, I most certainly am going to be ‘mad’ at you, Chara. What were you thinking?! That we couldn’t love you again? That you didn’t belong with us? That we had forgotten you? I had buried your body long ago, but I could NEVER bury your memory. I… I could never…” White-hot tears ran down her cheeks; with her fury and sorrow combined, she was surprised they did not turn to steam. “You have ALWAYS had a place in our hearts, Chara – in our family. Just knowing you were there, that you were not gone entirely… We- we would have…”

“You would have what? Held Frisk against their will again? I am attached to them, after all. Would you have tried to keep them here to have the whole family back together?”

Toriel was taken aback. “No! I have already let them go; you know that!” Part of her felt outrage at the accusation from her own child, but hearing the hurt in their voice, another portion desperately wanted to comfort them. She could feel her paws twitching with the desire to hug them – both poor Frisk, who was caught in the middle, and Chara through them – and to say that everything would be fine, but… would Frisk even want that? Would Chara want that? They had never been much for physical affection. And on top of all that, would any of it be true? Would everything be fine? Could it ever be, after all that had happened?

And so, after her outcry, Toriel simply stood there, still as a statue apart from her heavy breathing, various emotions battling for dominance. When she finally spoke, her voice sounded tight and strained to her ears. “Why…? Why did fate take you both from us?”

“You know it wasn’t fate, Mom…” Asriel interjected, his eyes downcast.

Toriel continued, oblivious to the comment. “And then why did it bring you back, and so late? Only after…” Her face fell as she thought of Asgore and the five human children. Of everything that had happened in the last hundred years. “… After the damage had been done.”

“I ask myself that, every day,” Chara quietly replied. “Those other human kids were innocent, but me – the one that did everything wrong – I’m the one that gets a second chance? How is that fair? How is that just?”

Toriel was unable to respond, at a loss for words once more.

Chara still hated themself that much?

However, it was Asriel that gave an answer to their question. He stared at them with those now-golden eyes, placing a paw on Frisk’s shoulder in support. “Maybe… maybe it’s like me. I don’t really deserve it, either, but… maybe it’s because we’re the ones that messed it all up. It’s how we can make it right. I mean, that’s the point of a second chance, isn’t it? To get it right this time?”

“Yeah!” Conor agreed enthusiastically. “It’s not about deserving it, but needing it.”

Chara did not speak for about ten seconds, and when they finally did, their voice was soft and thoughtful. “… Maybe.”

Seeing her children standing up for each other and supporting one another, Toriel could not have felt more proud. They are growing up so quickly.

As such, it was this feeling that dominated when Chara spoke once more. “I’m sorry, Mom. I never wanted to hurt you. I accept any punishment you feel I deserve.”

Toriel slowly shook her head. She spoke lightly, teasing, “Well, I cannot exactly ground you at the moment, can I? However…” She flicked her gaze between the three (four?) of them. “Since you all remained silent on this matter, it seems only fair that I insist you hold off on playing and start on your homework. I know Mrs. Garcia assigned you some on Friday.”

Asriel and Frisk groaned, while Conor objected, “But that’s not due until next Friday!”

“Ah, but think how much better it will feel to have it done early.” Toriel allowed a small smile to creep up her face. “Consider it a lesson in the benefits of doing something sooner rather than later.”

As Toriel left the room and closed the door, she heard Frisk mutter, “Ouch. I guess she was still mad about waiting to tell her.”

“… Indeed,” was Chara’s reply.

Toriel smiled to herself on the other side of that closed door. As proud as she was of her children, there was always more for them to learn, and she would do her best to help them.

Of course, first she needed to catch her breath. Just like with Asriel’s return, though she was able to outwardly recover swiftly from this revelation, inwardly, she was still reeling with the shock.

Chara was alive…

Though joyous, the news seemed to bring more questions than answers, and the circumstances of their return only made it more confusing. Still, she could not escape a newfound lightness in her heart.

Chara was alive…

Perhaps… perhaps this was not just a second chance for her children, but for her as well.